royd. Mr. Gibbon has not had the honour of hearing from Lord Sheffield since his Lordship reached Coventry, but supposes that the Election begins this day.

Be honest. How does this read? Do you not feel some titillations of vanity? Yet I will do you the justice to believe that they are as faint as can find place in a female (you will retort, or a male) heart, on such an auspicious event. When it is revealed to the Hon. Miss, I should recommend the loss of some ounces of noble blood. You may expect every post a formal notification, which I shall instantly dispatch. The birds, as well as I now recollect their taste, were excellent. I hope the Voyages still amuse. I had almost forgot to say that my seat in Parliament is deferred. Stronger and more impatient rivals have stepped before me, and I can wait, with cheerful resignation, till another opportunity. I wish the Baron's situation was as placid as mine.* No news. We are very

dull. Adieu. I shall go to Bath about the 15th of next month. But-silence,

N° CXLVII.

Mr. GIBBON to Mrs. GIBBON, Belvedere, Bath.

DEAR MADAM,

Bentinck-street, Feb. 24th, 1781.

As you have probably received my last letter of thirteen hundred pages,† I shall be very concise;

* Lord Sheffield was at that time engaged in a violently contested election for Coventry.

+ Second and third volumes of the Decline and Fall.

read,

read, judge, pronounce; and believe that I sincerely agree with my friend Julian, in esteeming the praise of those only who will freely censure my defects. Next Thursday I shall be delivered to the world, for whose inconstant and malicious levity I am coolly but firmly prepared. Excuse me to Sarah.* I see more clearly than ever, the absolute necessity of confining my presents to my own family; that, and that only, is a determined line, and Lord Sheffield is the first to approve his exclusion. He has a strong assurance of success, and some hopes of a speedy decision. How suddenly your friend General Pierson disappeared! You thought him happy. What is happiness! My dear Madam, ever yours.

N° CXLVIII.

Madame NECKER à M. GIBBON.

Paris, ce 21 Avril, 1781.

C'EST assez bouder, Monsieur; je me livre enfin entièrement au plaisir de vous écrire et de vous lire, sans examiner si l'auteur de ce bel ouvrage, si le génie sublime, qui a parcouru les annales de l'univers, et qui semble n'avoir extrait de toutes les contrées du monde que les parfums les plus purs, afin de les porter jusqu'à nos sens; si, dis-je, cet homme étonnant, méconnoit, comme tous les autres amants de la gloire, les charmes et les devoirs de l'amitié, si son imagination vive et ardente est unie à un caractère froid et paresseux, si ses goûts

*Mrs. Holroyd of Bath.

R 3

varient

quelques uns parmi tous les génies qui ont versé leur influence sur votre ouvrage. Mais parlons un peu de la gravure qui m'a fait un si grand plaisir; pourquoi donc tant gronder l'original? Oh pourquoi? L'ingrat ne va-t-il pas donner à M. Deyverdun le tems qu'il m'avoit promis? Vous ne de- / vez pas retourner dans un pays où vous chercherez en vain les douces illusions de votre jeunesse. Je laisse quelquefois errer ma pensée sur ces lieux jadis si chers, et depuis qu'ils ne sont plus habités pour moi, je ne les vois que comme les hochets de mon enfance. Vous êtes dans les bras de la gloire, venez chez un peuple qui l'adore; ou si le tems vous paroît moins favorable, ne perdons pas de vuë cette paisible retraite où nous devons nous réunir, pour y attendre entre l'étude et l'amitié la douce fin d'un assez beau jour; vivez dans votre patrie, ou vivez auprès de nous. Tout le monde parle ici de vous, Monsieur, avec dépit ou avec éloge; votre silence a fait vos torts, dès que vous parlerez ils seront réparés. J'ai flatté toutes les personnes à qui j'ai donné des marques de votre souvenir. Le chevalier est en Amérique, et ce n'est pas la première fois que je vois mourir ainsi mes amis tout vivans, soit par leur faute soit par celle des circonstances---mais je me tais; vous voyez qu'il est bien difficile de pardonner quand il est impossible de se venger.

M. Necker se joint à moi pour vous présenter ses hommages et l'éternelle assurance de notre attachement et de notre admiration.

N° CXLIX.

Dr. WILLIAM ROBERTSON to Mr. GIBBON.

DEAR SIR,

College of Edinburgh, May 12th, 1781.

I AM ashamed of having deferred so long to thank you for the agreeable presents of your two new volumes; but just as I had finished the first reading of them, I was taken ill, and continued, for two or three weeks, nervous, deaf, and languid. I have now recovered as much spirit as to tell you, with what perfect satisfaction I have not only perused, but studied, this part of your work. I knew enough of your talents and industry to expect a great deal, but you have gone far beyond my expectations. I can recollect no historical work from which I ever received so much instruction; and, when I consider in what a barren field you had to glean and pick up materials, I am truly astonished at the connected and interesting story you have formed. I like the style of these volumes better than that of the first; there is the same beauty, richness, and perspicuity of language, with less of that quaintness, into which your admiration of Tacitus sometimes seduced you. I am highly pleased with the reign of Julian. I was a little afraid that you might lean with some partiality towards him; but even bigots, I should think, must allow, that you have delineated his most singular character with a more masterly hand than ever touched it before. You set me a reading his works, with which I was very slenderly acquaint

ed;

ed; and I am much struck with the felicity wherewith you have described that odd infusion of Heathen fanaticism and philosophical coxcombry, which mingled with the great qualities of a hero, and a genius. Your chapter concerning the pastoral nations is admirable; and, though I hold myself to be a tolerably good general historian, a great part of it was new to me. As soon as I have leisure, I purpose to trace you to your sources of information; and I have no doubt of finding you as exact there, as I have found you in other passages where I have made a scrutiny. It was always my idea that an historian should feel himself a witness giving evidence upon oath. I am glad to perceive by your minute scrupulosity, that your notions are the same. The last chapter in your work is the only one with which I am not entirely satisfied. I imagine you rather anticipate, in describing the jurisprudence and institutions of the Franks; and should think that the account of private war, ordeals, chivalry, &c. would have come in more in its place about the age of Charlemagne, or later: but with respect to this, and some other petty criticisms, I will have an opportunity of talking fully to you soon, as I propose setting out for London on Monday. I have, indeed, many things to say to you; and, as my stay in London is to be very short, I shall hope to find your door (at which I will be very often) always open to me. I cannot conclude without approving of the caution with which the new volumes are written; I hope it will exempt you from the illiberal abuse the first