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Extracts From The Memoirs Of The Life And Writings Of Edward Gibbon, Esq.
. " DR . WILLIAM ROBERTSON TO MR . GIBBON . " DEAR SIH , College of Edinburgh , July 30 , 1788 . " LONG before this'I should have acknowledged the receipt of your most acceptable present ; but for several weeks I have been afflicted with a violent fit of deafness ; and that unsocial malady is always accompanied with such a degree of languoras renders even
, the writing of a letter an effort . During nty solitude , the perusal of your book has been my chief amusement and consolation . I have gone through it once with great attention , and am now advanced to the last volume in my second reading . I , ventured to predict the superior excellence of the volumes lately published , and I have not been a false prophet . Indeed , when I consider the extent of ) our
undertaking , and the immense labour of historical and philosophic research requisite towards executing every part of it , I am astonished that all this should have been accomplished by one man . I know no example , in any age or nation , of such a vast body of valuable and elegant information communicated by any individual . I feelhoweversome degree of mortification mingled with my
asto-, , nishment . Before 3 'ou bef . -n your historic career , I used to pride rm-self in being , at least , the most industrious historian of the age ; but now , alas ! I can pretend no longer even to that praise , and must say , as Pliny did of his uncle , Si comparer Hit , sum elesidiosissimus . Your style appears to me improved in these new volumes ; by tha
habit of writing , ' you write with greater ease . I am sorry to find that our ideas on _ the effects , of the Crusades do not altogether coincide . I considered that point with great care , " and cannot help thinking still , that my opinion was well founded . I shall consult tha authorities to which I refer : for , when 1113 ' sentiments differ from yours , I have some reason to distrust them ; and I may possibly trouble 3-ou with a letter on the subject . I am much flattered with
the manner in which 3-ou have so often mentioned my name . Lcetus sum laudari a te laudato viro . I feel much satisfaction in having been distinguished by the two historians of my own times , whose favourable opinion I was most ambitious of obtaining . " I hope this letter may find you still in England . When you return to Lausanne , permit me to recommend to 3 'our good offices
nn' youngest son , who is now at Yverdun on account of his health , and " lives with M . Herman , a clergyman there . You will find the 3 " 0 un ° - man ( if you can rety on the partial testimoity of a father ) sensible , modest , and well-bred ; and , though no great scholar , he has seen much ; having returned from India , where he served last warby BassoraBagdatMoussuland Aleppo . He is now a
Cap-, , , , tain , in the twenty-third regiment . If you have aity friend at Yverdun , be so good as to recommend him . It will do him credit to have your countenance . I have desired him to pa ) ' his respects to 3 'ou at Lausanne , Farewell , my dear Sir . - I ever am 3 'ours , most faithfully , W . ROBERTSON . "
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.
. " DR . WILLIAM ROBERTSON TO MR . GIBBON . " DEAR SIH , College of Edinburgh , July 30 , 1788 . " LONG before this'I should have acknowledged the receipt of your most acceptable present ; but for several weeks I have been afflicted with a violent fit of deafness ; and that unsocial malady is always accompanied with such a degree of languoras renders even
, the writing of a letter an effort . During nty solitude , the perusal of your book has been my chief amusement and consolation . I have gone through it once with great attention , and am now advanced to the last volume in my second reading . I , ventured to predict the superior excellence of the volumes lately published , and I have not been a false prophet . Indeed , when I consider the extent of ) our
undertaking , and the immense labour of historical and philosophic research requisite towards executing every part of it , I am astonished that all this should have been accomplished by one man . I know no example , in any age or nation , of such a vast body of valuable and elegant information communicated by any individual . I feelhoweversome degree of mortification mingled with my
asto-, , nishment . Before 3 'ou bef . -n your historic career , I used to pride rm-self in being , at least , the most industrious historian of the age ; but now , alas ! I can pretend no longer even to that praise , and must say , as Pliny did of his uncle , Si comparer Hit , sum elesidiosissimus . Your style appears to me improved in these new volumes ; by tha
habit of writing , ' you write with greater ease . I am sorry to find that our ideas on _ the effects , of the Crusades do not altogether coincide . I considered that point with great care , " and cannot help thinking still , that my opinion was well founded . I shall consult tha authorities to which I refer : for , when 1113 ' sentiments differ from yours , I have some reason to distrust them ; and I may possibly trouble 3-ou with a letter on the subject . I am much flattered with
the manner in which 3-ou have so often mentioned my name . Lcetus sum laudari a te laudato viro . I feel much satisfaction in having been distinguished by the two historians of my own times , whose favourable opinion I was most ambitious of obtaining . " I hope this letter may find you still in England . When you return to Lausanne , permit me to recommend to 3 'our good offices
nn' youngest son , who is now at Yverdun on account of his health , and " lives with M . Herman , a clergyman there . You will find the 3 " 0 un ° - man ( if you can rety on the partial testimoity of a father ) sensible , modest , and well-bred ; and , though no great scholar , he has seen much ; having returned from India , where he served last warby BassoraBagdatMoussuland Aleppo . He is now a
Cap-, , , , tain , in the twenty-third regiment . If you have aity friend at Yverdun , be so good as to recommend him . It will do him credit to have your countenance . I have desired him to pa ) ' his respects to 3 'ou at Lausanne , Farewell , my dear Sir . - I ever am 3 'ours , most faithfully , W . ROBERTSON . "