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  PRIVATE LETTERS

  OF

  EDWARD GIBBON.

[Illustration: SILHOUETTE PORTRAIT OF EDWARD GIBBON.
  _Frontispiece, Vol. II._]

  PRIVATE LETTERS

  OF

  EDWARD GIBBON

  (1753-1794).

  WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

  THE EARL OF SHEFFIELD.

  EDITED BY

  ROWLAND E. PROTHERO,

  BARRISTER-AT-LAW, SOME-TIME FELLOW OF ALL SOULS' COLLEGE, OXFORD.

  VOL. II.

  LONDON:
  JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
  1896.




  LONDON:
  PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED.
  STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS.




GIBBON'S CORRESPONDENCE.

1753-1794.




  418.

  _To his Stepmother._


  Bentinck Street, July 3rd, 1781.

  DEAR MADAM,

Though your kind impatience might make the time appear tedious, there
has been no other delay in my business, than the necessary forms of
Election. My new constituents of Lymington obligingly chose me in my
absence. I took my seat last Wednesday, and am now so old a member
that I begin to complain of the heat and length of the Session. So
much for Parliament. With regard to the board of trade, I am ignorant
of your friend's meaning, and possibly she may be so herself. There
has not been (to my knowledge) the most distant idea of my leaving
it, and indeed there are few places within the compass of any
rational ambition that I should like so well.

In a few days, as soon as we are relieved from public business, I
shall go down to my Country house for the summer. Do not stare.
I say my Country house. Notwithstanding Caplin's very diligent
enquiries, I have not been able to please myself with anything in the
neighbourhood of London, and have therefore hired for three months
a small pleasant house at Brighthelmstone. I flatter myself that in
that admirable sea-air, with the vicinity of Sheffield place, and a
proper mixture of light study in the morning and good company in the
evening, the summer may roll away not disagreably.--As I know your
tender apprehensions, I promise you not to bathe in the sea without
due preparation and advice.

Mrs. Porten has chosen, not for health but pleasure, a different
sea-shore: she has been some weeks at Margate, and will scarcely
return to town before my departure. I sincerely sympathize in all
the melancholy scenes which have afflicted your sensibility, and am
more particularly concerned about poor Miss Gould, to whom I wish
to express the thoughts and hopes of friendship on this melancholy
occasion. Lady Miller's[1] sudden death has excited some attention
even in this busy World, her foibles are mentioned with general
regard. Adieu, Dear Madam, and do not let Mrs. Ravaud tempt you into
Elysium: we are tolerably well here.

  I am
  Ever yours,
  E. GIBBON.

  [1] Anna, Lady Miller (1741-1781), author of _Letters from Italy,
  by an Englishwoman_ (1776), a verse-writer and a well-known
  character at Bath, held a literary salon at her villa at
  Batheaston. She held, writes Walpole, January 15, 1775, "a
  Parnassus-fair every Thursday, gives out rhymes and themes, and
  all the flux of quality at Bath contend for the prizes." An
  antique vase, purchased in Italy, was placed