_Damasus_ is ranked by _Jerom_[1205] among the Ecclesiastical Writers, on account of the many small Pieces he writ, chiefly in Verse; for he had a particular Genius for Poetry, and was no despicable Poet, if some Compositions ascribed to him were truly his. He writ several Books, both in Prose and Verse, in Commendation of Virginity; but neither that, nor any of his other Works, has reached our Times, besides some Letters, and a few Epitaphs, Inscriptions, and Epigrams, which have been carefully collected by _Baronius_[1206], though it may be justly questioned whether the several Pieces ascribed to him by that Writer were written by him. A short History of the first Popes, styled, _The Pontifical of_ Damasus, and published together with the Councils, has long passed for the Work of _Damasus_; but now even _Baronius_ owns it not to be his; and most Critics are of Opinion, that it was written after the Time of _Gregory the Great_; nay, some ascribe it to _Anastasius Bibliothecarius_, who flourished in the Ninth Century[1207]. As for his Letters, those to _Aurelius_ of _Carthage_, to _Stephen_, styled, _Archbishop of the Council of_ Mauritania, to _Prosper_ Primate of _Numidia_, to the Bishops of _Italy_, are all spurious, as well as the Letters to which some of them are Answers, and supposed to have been forged by that notorious Impostor _Isidorus Mercator_[1208]. His genuine Letters are the Two, that are to be found among the Works of _Jerom_, to whom they were written; Two to _Acholius_ Bishop of _Thessalonica_, published by _Holstenius_ in his _Collection of the antient Monuments of the Church of_ Rome[1209]; a Letter of great Length to _Paulinus_ of _Antioch_, whereof the chief Heads are set down by _Theodoret_ in his History, as are likewise those of his Letter to the Orientals concerning _Timotheus_, the favourite Disciple of _Apollinaris_. Several Letters from the Councils, that were held in _Rome_ in his Time, and at which he presided, are still extant, and may well be ascribed to him. The Two Letters to _Jerom_ are well worth perusing, being written in a pure, easy, and elegant Style, and with a great deal of Spirit, Vivacity, and even Gaiety, though _Damasus_ was then much advanced in Years, and overburdened with Cares and Business[1210]. In one of them he declares, that his only Delight was to read the Scriptures; and that all other Books, however well written, gave him rather Disgust than Pleasure. _Jerom_ returned to _Rome_ from the East in 382. with _Epiphanius_ Bishop of _Salamis_, and _Paulinus_ of _Antioch_, to assist at the Council held there. [Sidenote: Jerom _kept at_ Rome, _and employed by him_.] The other Two returned to their Sees; but _Jerom_ continued at _Rome_, being kept there by _Damasus_, who employed him in answering the Letters he received from the Councils of several Churches applying to him for his Advice[1211]. _Damasus_, taken with his Learning and