For Persons in Poverty and Distress, whether in _Persia_ or _Britain_, says the Author of her Life[1345], were alike the Objects of her Charity, and felt alike the Effects of her Generosity and Good-nature. She died, but with her did not die the Rancour and Spleen which _Jerom_ had for so many Years harboured in his Breast against her. For, carrying his Resentment even beyond the Grave, while the Poor were every-where bemoaning, with Tears, the Loss of so generous a Benefactress, while the Writers were paying the deserved Tribute of Praise to the Virtues of so pious a Matron, _Jerom_, instead of joining the rest in the common Grief, strove to dry up their Tears, to drown their Praises, by throwing out several peevish and ill-natured Reflections on the Memory of the Deceased. As the famous _Pelagius_ had inscribed a Book to her before he broached his Opinions, _Jerom_, in the Letter which he writ to _Ctesiphon_ against the _Pelagians_, could not forbear bringing her in, and observing on that Occasion, with a malignant Quibble, that the very Name of _Melania_ bespoke (in the _Greek_ Tongue), and sufficiently declared, the _Blackness_ of her Treachery and Perfidiousness[1346]. [Sidenote: Syricius _not to be condemned on the bare Authority of_ Jerom.] Such was the Conduct of _Jerom_ towards that illustrious Matron, in her Life-time, and after her Death. From this Conduct I leave the Reader to judge, whether the Authority of so prejudiced a Writer ought to have been of such Weight with _Baronius_ as to make him exclude her, as well as _Syricius_, from the _Roman_ Martyrology, or the Calendar of Saints. Should we grant _Ruffinus_ to have really held the Errors which _Jerom_ charged him with, it must still be owned, that _Melania_ acted, as became a Person of her Wisdom, Piety, and Experience, in suspending her Judgment, and not breaking with _Ruffinus_, till she was otherwise convinced, than by the Invectives of his Antagonist, equally levelled against herself, that he was no longer worthy of her Friendship and Regard. As for _Syricius_, _Jerom_ rather commends than blames him, even where he complains of his Kindness to _Ruffinus_. For he only says, that _Ruffinus_ abused the Simplicity of _Syricius_, who judged of the Spirit of others from his own[1347]; which was saying, in other Words, that he was a good Man, but mistaken in his Judgment, or not infallible: so that his only Crime, according to _Jerom_, was want of Infallibility. However, upon the Authority of that Father, _Baronius_ not only condemns the Conduct of _Syricius_, but, rashly prying into the inscrutable Secrets of Providence, pretends his Days to have been shortened for the Countenance he gave to _Ruffinus_, and the Remissness he shewed in suppressing the Errors, with which he was charged. It is certain, that _Ruffinus_ was well received, and entertained, in a very hospitable manner, by _Syricius_, during his Stay at _Rome_; and that, upon his