304 PROGRESS OF MONACHISM. 



and who were proud of long hair, long beards, bare 

 feet, and naftinefs in all things. 



The greek philofophers had likewife their particular 

 cloathing ; and many of them were emulous to appear 

 flovenly, beggarly, and dirty. They were therefore 

 very frequently ill-treated by the boys in the ilreets. 

 It was wifely done in the cynics to arm themfelves with 

 a good ftrong cudgel, to keep off the dogs and the 

 blackguards. The chrifHan monks were true imitators 

 of thefe antient philofophers in drefs and appearance, 

 and many of them feemed alfo to have inherited their 

 rags, their pride, and their petulance. 



Some monks, for the mortification of their flefh, 

 would neither kill nor catch the vermin that fed upon 

 their bodies. In this particular exceeding the jews, 

 who only fpare thefe creatures on the fabbath ; for, 

 according to the decifion of a learned rabbi, he who 

 kills a loufe on the fabbath, is as much a tranfgreffor 

 of the law as he who, fhould flay a camel. 



Thus, when Athanahus brought the firft aegyptian 

 monks to Rome, every one laughed at the fight of 

 thefe loufy philofophers. Thefe difciples of St. Anto- 

 nius the great excited immediately the dilguft- and con- 

 tempt of the Romans by their flrange appearance, 

 their ferocious looks, and their fwarms of lice. St. Hi- 

 eronymus complains bitterly of it, and fays, men deteft 

 thefe holy men of God from JEgypt, as beggarly and 

 hungry cheats, who make it their buiinefs to feduce 

 wealthy and noble dames, and to ruin their health by 

 recommending to them an auflere mode of life. But 

 how foon were the tables turned ! Thefe loufy philo- 

 fophers received the general approbation of Rome, and 



were 



