About 1763 Elliot and his brother Hugh were sent to Paris, where
their studies were supervised by the renowned Scottish
philosopher David Hume, and where they became intimate with
Honoré Mirabeau. Having passed the winters of 1766 and 1767 at
the University of Edinburgh, Gilbert entered Christ Church,
Oxford, and on quitting the university he was called to the bar.
In 1776 he entered parliament as an independent Whig MP for
Morpeth. He became very friendly with Edmund Burke, whom he
helped in the attack on Warren Hastings and Sir Elijah Impey,
and on two occasions was an unsuccessful candidate for the
office of Speaker. In 1794 Elliot was appointed to govern
Corsica, and in 1797 he assumed the additional names of Murray-
Kynynmound and was created Baron Minto. From 1799 to 1801 he was
envoy-extraordinary to Vienna, and having been for a few months
president of the board of control he was appointed governor-
general of India at the end of 1806. He governed with great
success until 1813, during which he expanded