ueen of
Egypt. He chose for his dwelling a cat; in this place, near which were a
palm-tree[1] and a clear spring: the former by its leaves furnished him
with raiment, and by its fruit with food; and the latter supplied him
with water for his drink.

{152}

Paul was twenty-two years old when he entered the desert. His first
intention was to enjoy the liberty of serving God till the persecution
should cease; but relishing the sweets of heavenly contemplation and
penance, and learning the spiritual advantages of holy solitude, he
resolved to return no more among men, or concern himself in the least
with human affairs, and what passed in the world: it was enough for him
to know that there was a world, and to pray that it might be improved in
goodness. The saint lived on the fruit of his tree till he was
forty-three years of age, and from that time till his death, like Elias,
he was miraculously fed with bread brought him every day by a raven. His
method of life, and what he did in this place during ninety years, is
unknown to us: but God was pleased to make his servant known a little
before his death.

The great St. Antony, who was then ninety years of age, was tempted to
vanity, as if no one had served God so long in the wilderness as he had
done, imagining himself also to be the first example of a life so
recluse from human conversation: but the contrary was discovered to him
in a dream the night following, and the saint was at the same time
commanded, by Almighty God, to set out forthwith in quest of a perfect
servant of his, concealed in the more remote parts of those deserts. The
holy old man set out the next morning in search of the unknown hermit.
St. Jerom relates from his authors, that he met a centaur, or creature
not with the nature and properties, but with something of the mixed
shape of man and horse,[2] and that this monster, or phantom of the
devil, (St. Jerom pretends not to determine which it was,) upon his
making the sign of the cross, fled away, after having pointed out the
way to the saint. Our author adds, that St. Antony soon after met a
satyr,[3] who gave him to understand that he was an inhabitant of those
deserts, and one of that sort whom the deluded Gentiles adored for gods.
St. Antony, after two days and a night spent in the search, discovered
the saint's abode by a light that was in it, which he made up to. Having
long begged admittance at the door of his cell, St. Paul at last opened
it wit