Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Extracts From The Memoirs Of The Life And Writings Of Edward Gibbon, Esq.
"In the mean while , let me request you to honour me with accepting a copy of a Law Tract , which is not yet published ; the subject is so generally important , that I make iio apology for sending j'ou a professional work . " You must pardon my inveterate hatred of C . Octavianus , basely surnamed Augustus . 1 feel myself unable to forgive the death o " f Cicerowhich
, , if he did not ' promote , he might have prevented . Besides , even Mectenas knew the cruelty t . f his disposition , and ventured to reproach him with it . In short , " I have not Christian charity for him . " _ With regard to Asiatic letters , a necessary attention to my profession will compel me wholland eternallto abandon them " ««/*
y y . « Lord North ( to whom I am already under no small obligation ) should think me worthy to concur in the . " improved administration of justice in Bengal , and should appoint me to supply the vacancy on the India Bench . Were that appointment to take " place this year , I should probably travel , for speed , through part of Egypt and Arabia , and should be ablein to Eastern tracts of lite
, my way , procure many - rature and jurisprudence . I might become a " good Mahomedan lawyer before I reached Calcutta , and , in my Vacations , should find leisure to explain , in my native language , whatever the Arabs , Persians , and Turks , have written on science , history , and the fine arts . " My happiness by no means depends , on obtaining this
appointment , as I am in easy circumstances without my profession , and have flattering prospects in it ; but if the present summer and the ensuing autumn elapse without my receiving any answer , favourable or unfavourable , I shall be forced to consider that silence as a polite refusal , and , having given sincere thanks for past favours , shall entirely drop all thoughts of Asia , and , " deep as ever plummet sounded , shall drown Persian books
my . " If my politics have given offence , it would be manly in Ministers to tell me so . I shall never be personally hostile to them , nor enlist under party banners of any colour ; but I will never resign my opinions for interest , though I would cheerfully abandon them on . conviction . My reason , such as it is , can only be controlled b y better reasonto which I am ever As to
, open . my freedom of thought , speech , and action , I shall ever say what Charles XII . wrote under the map of Riga , " Dim me fa donnee ; le diable ne me Vetera pas . " But the fair answer to this objection is , that my system is purely speculative , and has no relation to my seat on the bench in . India , where I should hardly think of instructing the Gentoos in the maxims of the Athenians . I believe I should not have troubled '
3-011 with this letter , if Idid not fear that your attendance in Parliament mi ght deprive me of the pleasure of meeting you at the Club next Tuesday ; and I shajl go to Oxford a few days after . At all all times , and in ail places , I shall ever be , with undissembled regard , dear Sir , Your much obliged and faithful servant , W .. JONESi"
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Extracts From The Memoirs Of The Life And Writings Of Edward Gibbon, Esq.
"In the mean while , let me request you to honour me with accepting a copy of a Law Tract , which is not yet published ; the subject is so generally important , that I make iio apology for sending j'ou a professional work . " You must pardon my inveterate hatred of C . Octavianus , basely surnamed Augustus . 1 feel myself unable to forgive the death o " f Cicerowhich
, , if he did not ' promote , he might have prevented . Besides , even Mectenas knew the cruelty t . f his disposition , and ventured to reproach him with it . In short , " I have not Christian charity for him . " _ With regard to Asiatic letters , a necessary attention to my profession will compel me wholland eternallto abandon them " ««/*
y y . « Lord North ( to whom I am already under no small obligation ) should think me worthy to concur in the . " improved administration of justice in Bengal , and should appoint me to supply the vacancy on the India Bench . Were that appointment to take " place this year , I should probably travel , for speed , through part of Egypt and Arabia , and should be ablein to Eastern tracts of lite
, my way , procure many - rature and jurisprudence . I might become a " good Mahomedan lawyer before I reached Calcutta , and , in my Vacations , should find leisure to explain , in my native language , whatever the Arabs , Persians , and Turks , have written on science , history , and the fine arts . " My happiness by no means depends , on obtaining this
appointment , as I am in easy circumstances without my profession , and have flattering prospects in it ; but if the present summer and the ensuing autumn elapse without my receiving any answer , favourable or unfavourable , I shall be forced to consider that silence as a polite refusal , and , having given sincere thanks for past favours , shall entirely drop all thoughts of Asia , and , " deep as ever plummet sounded , shall drown Persian books
my . " If my politics have given offence , it would be manly in Ministers to tell me so . I shall never be personally hostile to them , nor enlist under party banners of any colour ; but I will never resign my opinions for interest , though I would cheerfully abandon them on . conviction . My reason , such as it is , can only be controlled b y better reasonto which I am ever As to
, open . my freedom of thought , speech , and action , I shall ever say what Charles XII . wrote under the map of Riga , " Dim me fa donnee ; le diable ne me Vetera pas . " But the fair answer to this objection is , that my system is purely speculative , and has no relation to my seat on the bench in . India , where I should hardly think of instructing the Gentoos in the maxims of the Athenians . I believe I should not have troubled '
3-011 with this letter , if Idid not fear that your attendance in Parliament mi ght deprive me of the pleasure of meeting you at the Club next Tuesday ; and I shajl go to Oxford a few days after . At all all times , and in ail places , I shall ever be , with undissembled regard , dear Sir , Your much obliged and faithful servant , W .. JONESi"