2. MEROPIUS PONTIUS ANICIUS PAULINUS, bishop of Nola in the early part of the fifth century, AND hence generally designated Paulinus Nolanus, was born at Bordeaux, or at a neighbouring town, he calls Embrotmutym. about the year A. D. 353. Descended from illustrious parents, the inheritor of ample possessions, gifted by nature with time, good abilities, which were cultivated with affectionate assidulity by his preceptor, the poet Ausonius [AUSONIUS, he entered life under the fairest auspices. was raised to the rank of consul suffectus, before he had attained to the age of twenty-six, and married a wealth lady named Therasia, whose disposition and tastes seem to have been in perfect harmony with his own. After many years spent in the enjoyment of worldly honours, Panlinus became convinced of the truth of Christianity, was by Delphinis, bishop of Bourdeaux. in A. D. 309, distributed large sums to the poor. and passed over with his wife to Spain. The death of an only child, which survived its birth eight days, with perhaps other domestic afflictions concerning which we are imperfectly informed, seem to have confirmed the dislike with which he now regarded the business of the world. After four years passed in retirement he resolved to withdraw himself entirely from the society of tis friends, to apply his wealth to religious purposes, and to delicate, the remainder of his life to works of piety. This determination, while it called forth the earnest remonstrances of his kindred, excited the most lively admiration among all classes of the devout, and the dignity of Presbyter was almost forced upon his acceptance by the enthusiasm of the populace at Barcelona (A. D. 303). He did not, however, remain to exercise his clerical functions in this province, but crossed the Alps into Italy. Passing through Florence, where he was greeted with much cordiality by Ambrose, he proceeded to Rome, and, after meeting with a cold reception from Pope Siricius, who probably looked with suspicion on the hasty irregularity of his ordination, reached Nola, in Campania, where he possessed some property, soon after Easter A. D. 304. In the immediate vicinity of this city were the tomb and miracle-working relics of Felix, a confessor and martyr, over which a church had been erected with a few cells for the accommodation of pilgrims. In these Paulinus, withi a small number of followers, took up his abode, conforming in all points to the observances of monastic establishments, except that his wife appears to have been his companion. After nearly fifteen years passed in holy meditations and acts of charity, he was chosen bishop of Nola in A. D. 409 (or according to Pagi, A. D. 403), and when the stormy inroad of the Goths had passed away, discharged the duties of the office in peace until his death, which took place in >A. D. 431.
The above sketch contains a narrative of all the facts which can be ascertained with regard to this father, but to what extent these may be eked out by laborious conjecture will be seen upon referring to biography compiled by Le Brun. The story told in the dialogues of St. Gregory, that Paulinus having given away all his possessions, made a jou: ney into Africa, and sold himself into slavery, in order to ransom the son of a poor widow, has, upon chronological and other considerations, been generally rejected as a fable, as well as numerous legends contained in the histories of the Saints.
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