The republic., 1851-04-18
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brated author Of TIE Declins 0s4 Full Of tke Roman
Empire. II was addressed 70 his friend M D'Ey..
vcrdun. (who was q that time 1t Leipsig,) and
the house which M. D'Eyvcrdun posseesed at LAu.
sanns. and where Mr. Gibbon resided severn
years: ~. ,,,s
To NJ D'Eyv.s pun, at Leipzig:
NV long silence towards you has been occasioned
ar have properly analysed what has iatsly passed
in my m{nd5 81 difsssnt reasons. During the
~ sincs IS. CO. ocsain~ q Psrismeas tho necessity Of
dninh3n9 NY book, and At the same time Of subdu-
inr AmSr5os- Ihays been involved in multitude
of public, private, and literary ba,iness. such a.
.Hlo. The materials Of my correspondence have
graduaIlY accumulated. and. despsiring Of being
sb3s 70 NJ any thing, have wisely finished By
inibrm my dear reader that love him just - much
- III bad written 70 him every weak.
where, then, shall begin this letter! Can this
ussoq b man " who sn. spo, q,
The pleasure which renders the conversation Of
friends 70 delightful the pleasure Of talking Of
ones calf With somebody who VIII take an interest
in the subIect. Il u true should greatly prefer
converting with you. walking backwards and for
wards In my library, where could, without blush
ing, make to you all tho confessions which my
vastly might prompt But at this lamentable dis
tsncs from Iondou % Lsipsig we cannot do with
out conAdant, and the paper might ono day di:-
Gloss TIE httls secrets which am obliged TO conde
You know that tho first volume Of 7ns H;story Q
~ Decjins Gsd FIJI qf ~ RoMss E~ptvs has bad
ths must complete success, and the most hattsring
10 The author. But must take up The matter
ittls further back. do not know whether you
recollsct that bad agreed with my bookseller for
an edition Of i've hundred Copies This was . very
moderate number; bat wiahsd 10 learn tho taste
s9 q s ssas asf e Il soaS sds pRIS Fl
cbsnges which the observations Of critics and my
own lsascticns might suggest. We had come.
Rsrhsps. e ne twenty mn a shsss. wnsa my pup. R
aan 70 perceive that the work in question might be
worth something, and that tho said i've hundred
copies would not suffice for tho demands OF the
British readers. They stated their reasons TO me,
and very humbly. bat very earnestly, begged me
70 permit five hundred more 70 be printed.
yielded 70 their entreaties, not, however, without
family might be condemned to an inglorious old
age, Ia the obscurity Of some warehouse: Mean.
time the printing went on; and spite o. patsrnsi
sneetiop. sometlme. cured tns atsen1cn wn.Gn ;a
drsn, = cure them o the defects which thsneg
gencs Of heir preceptoEs had suffered to pass with
out ccrrecting them.
decisive hour arrive, and own TO you that Il was
not without some sort of uneasiness. know that
my book was good, but would have bad It excel
isared that Of shs public-that tyrant who often
destroys In an instant tho fruit of ten yea labor.
a. length. on The 18th Of February, gave myself
to the universe, and the universs-thst = 70 ssy.
with open axms. In : fortnight the whole edition
was - completely exhausted that not single copy
was left. Mr. csdelI .(my publisherl proposed 70
in ! few days he saw reason to beg me TO allow
him 20 print 1900 copies. Il will appear at the
hsginning ofnext month; and he already venture:
Of the year, and that he shal be obliged to impor
tune me third time. Tho volume-a handsome
quArto costa : guinea In boards; il has sold, a.
my publisher sxpreeses i. like sixpenny pamph-
| have hitherto contantsd myself with stating
the fact, which b the least equivocAl testimony in
favor Of the Hisiovy. Il i said that horse alone
% Sim nj might , W not ada. that ths bookseller i the
only person who does not fatter authors when they
take Il into their heads to appear in print But
g. Vsyi Snds mean. 70 catch prsses
and for my part own to you that am very fond
Of these pra1sD; those of women Of rank. espe-
cially whsn they are young and handsome; though
have had the good fortune to please some Of
theso persons, and the ancient Aistory OF your
learned friend hes succeeded with them Ike FASH
ionabIe novel. Now hear what Robertson says in
= letter which was not designed to fall into my
"lhsvs read (says hs) Mr.. Gibbons .H;story
'in wort y srs.. nu merit % nd IL i that
sagacity Of research, without which an author
dos not merit the name Of an historian. HE mar
r.t:vss clsar and intersstin his style = elegant
psrhaPs studied; but thcss defects arc amply COM
pensAied BY the beauty Of The language, and some
times b. : rare felicity Of oppression.
~ Now listen attentively 70 poor David Hume:
ssAftsr having road with impatience and avidity
the drst volume Of your H;ssovy; feel the same inn
patience tothAnk you for Jour interesting present;
and 70 express to you the satisfaction which this
production has afforded mo, under tho several
points Of vew, Of the dignity Of the style, the ex-
fant Of your researcher the profound manner in
which the subject II treated. This work u entitled
70 the highest esteem. You win feel pleasure, ~
in thA city (Edinburgh) agree in sdmiring your
work, and in desiring the continuation oft
: Do you know. too. that tho Tacitus and Livy Of
Scotland have been useful to me ii more ways than
the superiofsy whio6 these historians had acquired
and, = national prejudices are kept up at small
axpense, they have eagerly raised their unworthy
nountryman BY their acclamations to level With
ttees srsat mon. Besides, have had the good
fortune to avoid the shoal which Il the most dam
rerous in this country. A historian 10 always to
csrtain degree political character. and every
Ihe NEST remote ages the sentiments Of the histo
rian upon kings and governments. minister,
who Il great friend 70 tho prerogatives OF the
crown. hss coInPlinsn.sd me on, on my having every
Mr.. Walpole, ON the other hand, and my Lord
Camden. both partisans Of liberty, and even Of q
republic, persusded that am not far from their
q fair neutrality. i;iS 3f,c sl
Let NJ now look at the reverse of the medal, and
inspect the means which Heaven has thought ht to
employ 70 humble my pride. Would you think.
mydear drs that injustice has bsen carried % far
- to attack the purity of my faithf The cry Of
the bishops and Of great number fladies equally
respectable for their ago and understanding. ha:
been raised against mo. Il has been maintained
Ihst the aat two chapters Of my pretended Histcry
Ars only satire on the christian religions sattre
xhs more dangerous a. IL is concealed under veil
OF moderation and impartialty; and that the ennis
sary Of satan, after having long amused his read
ers with very agreeable tale. insensibly leads
than into The internal snare. You perceive all the
herror of this accusation, and will easily under
stand that shall oppose only respectful silence
to the clamors Of my enemies iS
And the trAnslation! Will you soon cause me
% b read and burnt in the rest of Europe? Aftsr
skort suspension, the for which il u use
iess to detail, Ifecommenced scnding the sheets a.