OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

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pride and policy would affect, he frequently chap.performed the episcopal visitation of his pro-^vinces, from the mouth of the Nile to the con-fines of .Ethiopia , familiarily conversing withthe meanest of the populace, and humbly salut-ing the saints and hermits of the desert. h Norwas it only in ecclesiastical assemblies, amongmen whose education and manners were similarto his own, that Athanasius displayed the as-cendency of his genius. He appeared witheasy and respectful firmness in the courts ofprinces; and in the various turns of his pros-perous and adverse fortune, he never lost theconfidence of his friends, or the esteem of hisenemies.

In his youth,the primateofEgypt resisted the p frsecil .great Constantine , who had repeatedly signified ^“" insthis will, that Arius should be restored to the ca- Athana-tholic communion . 1 The emperor respected, T."d. 330and might forgive, this inflexible resolution;and the faction who considered Athanasius astheir most formidable enemy, were constrainedto dissemble their hatred, and silently to pre-pare an indirect and distant assault. They

11 See the history of the Fathers of the Desert, published by Rosweide;and Tillemont, Mem. Eccles. tom. vii, in the lives of Antony, Pacho-mius, &c. Athanasius himself, who did not disdain to compose the lifeof his friend Antony, has carefully observed how often the holy monkdeplored and prophesied the mischiefs of the arian heresy. Athanas.tom - ii, p. 492-498, <fec.

1 At first Constantine threatened in ipeaking, but requested iu tenting,utti ptiv mrnAEi yga<f>iwv Si, «£(«. His letters gradually assumed a

menacing tone; but while he required that the entrance of thechurch should be open to all, he avoided the odious name of Arius .

Athanasius , like a skilful politician, has accurately marked these dia-tinclions (tom. i, p. 788), which allowed him some scope for excuse anddilay.