New-York tribune., 1880-02-15
GIBBONS FIRST LOVE.
THE LETTERS FOUND AT COPPET.


A NEW VERSION OF THE HISTORIANS ENGAGE
MENr TO SUZANNE CURCHOD-HIs ABANDON
MENT OF DEvOTED AND GENEROUS GIRL
HOW TINE TURNED LOVE INTO FRIENDSHIP.
The memoirs of Gibbon speak of his love affair
with Suzanne Curchod. the daughter of the Swiss
pastor who became the wife of the great French
fnancier Necker as if it ended without blame on
his part He speaks of himself obeying the will
| of bis father while signing as lover. and would
have his readers believe that all the suffering was
on his side After having lived for some time IN
unhappiness he saws. ne was consoed by learning
| that the lady was only lightly impressed
with his infdelity. The truth was quite
otherwise, but it has only como out
after the lapse of over century. In
the archives of the chateau of Coppet number of
letters which passed between Gibbon and Mile. Cur
chod during and after their engagement have been
discovered and are published in a recent number of
the Rerue des Deur MondeS by Othenin dHauSsonvlle
in an article entitled lie Salon de Madame Necker"
They throw light on the romantic first love OF
the great historian, and show that he availed him
self of the opposition of his father to an alliance
with foreigner to break loose from an attachment
which, on the part of the lady, was one of singular
parity devotion and tenaciy, and that he thus in
| fcted wound which years were required to heal.
1t was during his stay at the school of the PrOtes-
father had sent him to have the virus of Catholicism
eradicated from his mind. that the young Gibbon
first met Suzanne Curchod. He was eighteen years
old at the time, and she few months younger. lie
saw her occasionally at the little social gatherings
in Lausanne and was not long in falling in love.
consequence that was pretty to follow the
citation of an mpressonabe and romantic young
man with girl of unusual beauty and remarkable
intellectual gifts. He obtained the permission of
her parents to visit them occasionally in their home
among the hills of Franche-Comt6. Writing of
Suzanne at this time he says In the calm of retire
ment the light vanties of youth do not agltate her
discreet heart. She lends an 20 the voice of
truth and of passion, and l can flatter myself with
the hope of having made some impression upon
yirtuous heart" Her parents encouraged his suit,
and he gave himself up he says, to the illusion of
happiness. He wrote her long letters from Lau-
same, filed with the extravagant expressions of
devotion and admiration which it was the fashion
in the eighteenth century for lovers to address TO
their sweethearts. One OF two extracts from these
letters will suffice to show their style and spirit:
lido not know whether you thanks for the priv
ege YOU have accorded me to@wrte you. II makes me
feel too keenly what have lost i'll separating myself
from Won The enjoyment which this occupation affords
me is infinitely superior 10 everything which l. falsely
would not quit with Joy for the purpose of thinking Of
YOU and how much stronger would be the motive when
con d hope that thoughts would TO yOu. But
feel always how great is the difference between tracing
cold lines in the dust OF my cabinet ana pouring
| ent TO the eyes and to the Imagination.
This IA from letter without date, which NJ
dHaussonve supposes to be the first written after
Gibbons visit to the home of Suzanne at Grassy.
| In much longer letter, apparently of date when
the young lover felt more assured his passion was
reciprocated, he wrote:
hardly know whether am more i'll at ease alone or
| in company, but wherever be am always restless
When alone absorb myself In my reflections; Try TO
work take up books, open them, but see nothing.
go great haste TO fly from myself, or rather to
fly YOU ade @ yo uH are said TO be- most am
| BILE. Perhaps they are, but the misfortune Is that
TO me am expected to speak N my turn but people
forget the only subject capable OF opening my hps Are
they silent think they insult my sadness and wsh TO
make sport OF the spectacle Of philosopher down.
or rather OF the corpse OF sage My only consolation
| agreeable moments have passed with the most charm
Ing OF women the word has escaped me-I aid not
will not recall IT.
GIBBONS FIDELITY DOUBTED.
There are many pages of this sort of amatory cor
respondence. NJ. d'Haussonville finds in these let
ters no accent of sincerity and real passion. They
are he saws, the work of a cultivated man, who
writes love letters one might write exercise II
French. and who calls to his aid the figures which
are recommended In the manuals of rhetoric. Gibbor
wrote French madrgals well French letters tc
were too. After they had been formally engaged
for some time and all the Wand country knew of it
something in his conduct seems to have aroused Q
snspicion on the part OF his betrothed that he wa,
not sincere and this suspicion was expressed in 2
| letter which has not beer preserved. In reply hC
wrote long letter, defending himself warmly, and
induging in whole pages of such fine protestatiOns
as this:
How could YOU doubt instant OF my love and my
N nnf f,. s.f MI .
hundred finest Have you not seen there passion al
pure adcntf Have not felt that lima
will always hold thchrs place in tile heart which yot
spise and that in the midst OF pleasures, bonor
and riches, without you could have no happiness
The tone of this letter did not, il would seem, en-
tirely destroy the suspicious of Suzanne Curchod
for she prudently kept copy of her answer, whcl
was as follows:
, | To assnre you that I received your letter wtbou
, pleasure would be- without doubt to give nerks OF
prudery almost as Idcuous % t Is % a. or IS .rue Una
your part you had changed the sentiments that knew
IN Won FOR IDEAS as suitable TO your fortune, perhaps
faaI to your happiness This last expression sug
gested 10 less by an excessive scll1oye ihan by
mat sentiment Of the value of heart of which yol
aehS have been deprived by your fault; say by
yonr own fault for you abandon it IN favor OF you
d%y uS SINCE would myself dcspse you almost
much as now esteem you II you were capable o
SSas drdeSs Of ten@ef father DOR mink
bleJ but even you were content TO exiort Perssoi
which would not fail TO enbtter his remaining day
and perhaps bring his white hairs win sorrow 10 th
| grave. And, besides. what should DO III great re
/ morse came torment you and make YOU cruelty re
Il pen the course von had taken May Heayen preserve
. me from such cruel circumstances. As long as nigh
have believed that IL only question OF abandoning
Il i'm nv behalf ambitious views contrary, perhaps, u
- yonr IDEAS or an OF fortune little needed by
Won the confidence with which repOse upon the carr
of tender and bene VIOLENT Providence much more thai
INV selflove would have made me hope that you wou(
. . never regret the loss OF tnese sdvaniages r ba
"a me and do not feel myself capable OF making for
GER that YOU would violated In favor the right
&c of nature and OF tendernessin word those OF duty
do not see how unless you find some sort OF palliative
: | Won will dare propose TO tender and afectlonat
10 father 10 whom you mnch. by reason OF what
has done for you past and what he proposes TO
\ I'm the future-I do how, say. you Will dar