162. Basnage, Histoire des Juifs, 1. ii. c. 20, 21, 22, 23,
has examined with the most critical accuracy the curious
treatise of Philo which describes the Therapeutae. By
proving that it was composed as early as the time of
Augustus, Basnage has demonstrated, in spite of Eusebius (1.
ii. c. 17), and a crowd of modern Catholics, that the
Therapeutae were neither Christians nor monks. It still
remains probable that they changed their name, preserved
their manners, adopted some new articles of faith, and
gradually became the fathers of the Egyptian Ascetics.