permettre d'en employer aucun. C'est avec cet esprit préoccupé que j'ai reçeu Mr. Fox. Je desirois de le connoître depuis long tems, et je vous remercie de m'en avoir donné les moyens; vous voyez que je n'entends pas l'art de faire mousser les graces, pour me servir de la phrase d'un de nos beaux-esprits; si vous voulez juger de mon empressement à vous plaire, envoyez moi Mr. Western ou Sir John Brute. Je reviens à Mr. Fox: on diroit qu'il a dans sa tête l'ordre qu'il a banni de ses actions; il est bien par tout; il sçait tout, il parle à merveille de tout; enfin on trouve autant de convenances et d'ensemble entre toutes les facultés de son esprit que de disparates entre son esprit et son caractère; et je crains qu'il n'ait pour les mœurs, et pour toute espèce de principe une indifférence pire que le vice; comme la froideur est plus à craindre que l'infidélité. Le premier volume de la traduction de votre ouvrage avoit déjà paru quand je reçus votre dernière Lettre; il n'étoit plus tems de parler à M. Suard: d'ailleurs M. de Septchenes mérite des égards, et s'il manque à son stile cette finesse qui tient à l'habitude de la société, cette chaleur et cette énergie qui caractérise le créateur de la pensée, et cette harmonie que l'habitude des sentimens doux et passionnés donne encore plus que l'exercice de l'oreille; il a, en revanche, de la correction, de la facilité, et même de l'élégance; et puisque vous êtes assez malheureux pour que Monsieur Gibbon n'ait pas voulu vous traduire je me réjouis de vous voir en si bonnes mains. Adieu donc, Monsieur; je gémis de ne pouvoir prolonger ma lettre, j'écris pour vous seul, comme vous voyez. Une entière confiance est la première preuve d'estime; venez jouir de vos succès, venez aussi jouir de l'amitié de deux personnes qui vous sont véritablement et tendrement dévouées. Permettez moi de garder le silence sur M. le Texier, et croyez que votre recommendation auroit une grande influence si ce que vous demandez n'étoit pas absolument impossible. N° CI. EDWARD GIBBON, Esq. to J. HOLROYD, Esq. Almack's, Wednesday Evening. IN due obedience to thy dread commands I write. But what shall I say? My life, though more lively than yours, is almost as uniform. A very little reading and writing in the morning, bones or guts* from two to four, pleasant dinners from five to eight, and afterwards clubs, with an occasional assembly, or supper. America affords nothing very satisfactory; though we have many flying reports, you may be assured that we are ignorant of the consequences of Trenton, &c. Charles Fox is now at my elbow, declaiming on the impossibility of keeping America, since a victorious army has been unable to maintain any extent of posts in the single province of Jersey. Lord North is out of danger (we trembled for his important existence). * Mr. Gibbon at this time attended Dr. Hunter's Anatomical Lectures. I now expect that my Lady and you should fix the time for the promised visitation to Bentinck-street. March and April are open, chuse. Adieu. N° CII. EDWARD GIBBON, Esq. to J. HOLROYD, Esq. 1777. You deserve, and we exult in your weather and disappointments. Why would you bury yourself? I dined in Downing-street Thursday last; and I think Wedderburne was at least as agreeable a companion as your timber-surveyor could be. Lee is certainly taken, but Lord North does not apprehend he is coming home. We are not clear whether he behaved with courage or pusillanimity when he surrendered himself; but Colonel Keene told me to-day, that he had seen a letter from Lee since his confinement. "He imputes his being taken to the alertness of Harcourt, and cowardice of his own guard; hopes he shall meet his fate with fortitude; but laments that freedom is not likely to find a resting-place in any part of the globe." It is said, he was to succeed Washington. We know nothing certain of the Hessians; but there has been a blow. Adieu. No CIII. The Same to the Same. Saturday Night, April 12th, 1777. YOUR dispatch is gone to ***, and I flatter myself that by your assistance I shall be enabled to lose lose a thousand pounds upon Lenborough before I return from Paris. The day of my departure is not absolutely fixed; Sunday seven-night, the twenty-seventh instant, is talked of: but if any India business should come on after the Civil List, it will occasion some delay, otherwise things are in great forwardness. Mrs. Gibbon is an enemy to the whole plan; and I must answer, in a long letter, two very ingenious objections which she has started. 1st, That I shall be confined, or put to death by the priests; and, 2dly, That I shall sully my moral character, by making love to Necker's wife. Before I go, I will consult Newton, about a power of attorney for you. By the bye, I wish you would remember a sort of promise, and give me one day before I go. We talk chiefly of the Marquis de la Fayette, who was here a few weeks ago. He is about twenty, with an hundred and thirty thousand livres a year; the nephew of Noailles, who is ambassador here. He has bought the Duke of Kingston's yacht, and is gone to join the Americans. The Court appear to be angry with him. Adieu. N° CIV. The Same to the Same. Atwood's, Saturday Night, April 19th, 1777. It is not possible as yet to fix the day of my departure. That circumstance depends on the state of India, and will not be determined till the General Court of next Wednesday. I know from the first authority, if the violence of the Proprietors about the Pigot, can be checked in the India-house by the influence of a Government majority, the Minister does not wish to exert the omnipotence of Parliament; and I shall be dismissed from hence time enough to set forwards on Thursday the first of May. On the contrary, should we be involved in those perplexing affairs, they may easily detain me till the middle of next month. But as all this is very uncertain, I direct you and my Lady to appear in town to-morrow seven-night. I have many things to say. We have been animated this week, and, notwithstanding the strict economy recommended by Charles Fox and John Wilkes, we have paid the Royal debts. Adieu. N° CV. EDWARD GIBBON, Esq. to J. HOLROYD, Esq. Monday Night, April 21st, 1777. BAD news from Hampshire.- -Support Hugonin, comfort me; correct or expel Winton; sell Lenborough, and remove my temporal cares.When do you arrive? N° CVI. The Same to the Same. Wednesday Night, April 23d, 1777. Ir is uncertain whether India comes to Westminster this year, and it is certain that Gibbon goes to Paris next Saturday seven-night. There fore |