THE MISCELLANEOUS WORKS OF EDWARD GIBBON, ESQ. WITH MEMOIRS OF HIS LIFE AND WRITINGS, COMPOSED BY HIMSELF: ILLUSTRATED FROM HIS LETTERS, WITH OCCASIONAL NOTES AND NARRATIVE, BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN, LORD SHEFFIELD. A NEW EDITION, WITH CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONS, VOL. III. HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JOHN MURRAY, 50, ALBEMARLE STREET, By C. Roworth, Bell-yards Temple-bar. UNIVERS 1814. GEORG/ LIBRARY ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION. THE following Pieces have already been noticed in the Introduction to the First Volume. Many of them were juvenile performances; and under the persuasion that they will be candidly received as such, they are now delivered to the Press. They certainly are entitled to greater indulgence than could be claimed for Compositions more finished and elaborate, and written at the time of mature age. The minute account of Mr. Gibbon's studies each day, extracted from the Journal of his actions and opinions, and his observations on the several Works he had perused, evince a singular and unremitting industry. In that view they may afford an useful lesson and example to such young readers as shall not already be convinced of the necessity of assiduous application in the acquisition of every kind of learning. My My first intention was, to have given only a short specimen of the observations made by Mr. Gibbon, in the course of his reading; but I found them so interesting, that I could not desist, so soon as I intended, from making Extracts; and, upon the whole, I thought that the part to be published would be more curious, if given exactly as it stands in the Journal. I hope I shall not be thought to have published too much in truth, there still remain in my possession many Papers which I think equally worth attention. Mr. Gibbon's manuscript Observations were much detailed, from the year 1754 to 1764; and he afterwards continued to write remarks and hints on all subjects, in various common-place books, on detached papers, and even on cards, till a short time before his death, although not so copiously, nor so regularly and methodically, after his return from Italy, in the year 1765. His common-place books are voluminous. One of the largest has for title, Common-place Book; in which I propose to write what I find most remarkable in my Historical Readings; begun at Lausanne the 19th of March 1755." In this he introduces a great variety of Observations on almost every subject, particularly on History. In another Book, dated the 19th of January, 1756, 1756, he says, "J'ai pris la résolution de lire de suite tous les Classiques Latins, les partageant suivant les matières qu'ils ont traité. 1. Les Historiens. 2. Les Poëtes. 3. Les Orateurs; dans laquelle classe je renfermerai tous les autres auteurs qui ont écrit en prose, sans être ni Philosophes ni Historiens. 4. Les Philosophes." He begins with Observations on Sallust; then proceeds to the Commentaries of Cæsar, Cornelius Nepos, Livy, always mentioning the edition which he used. There are other Books, containing various Dissertations on ancient and modern Weights, Measures, Manies, Coins, Finance, Number of the People, Chronology, ancient Geography, and on several States of the ancient and modern World." Mémoire sur la Monarchie des Mèdes, pour servir de Supplément aux Dissertations de Messieurs Freret et de Bougainville."-" Du Gouvernement Féodal, surtout en France.""Remarks on, and an Abridgment of, Blackstone's Commentaries."____66 Remarques Critiques sur le Nombre des Habitans dans la Cité des Sybarites."" Remarques Critiques sur le nouveau Système de la Chronologie de Newton." 66 Remarques sur quelques Prodiges." "_" Remarques Critiques sur les Dignités Sacerdotales de Jules César."-" Remarques sur quelques Passages de Virgile."-" Sur un Passage de Plaute." |