before. At all events, however, it is better to fay three words, than to be totally a dumb dog. A propos of dog, but not of dumb: your Pomeranian is the comfort of my life; pretty, impertinent, fantastical, all that a young lady of fashion ought to be. I flatter myself that our paffion is reciprocal. I am juft at prefent engaged in a great hiftorical work; no less than a History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire; with the firft volume of which I may very poffibly opprefs the public next winter. It would require fome pages to give a more particular idea of it; but I fhall only fay in general, that the fubject is curious, and never yet treated as it deferves; and that during fome years it has been in my thoughts, and even under my pen. Should the attempt fail, it must be by the fault of the execution. Adieu. Dear Madam, believe me most truly yours.

N° LXV.

EDWARD GIBBON Efquire to J. HOLROYD Efquire. BENTINCK-STREET October 14th, 1775.

I SEND

SEND you two pieces of intelligence from the best authority, and which, unless you hear them from fome other quarter, I do not wish you should talk much about. ift, When the Ruffians arrive, (if they refresh themselves in England or Ireland,) will you go and fee their camp? We have great hopes of getting a body of these Barbarians. In confequence of fome very plain advances, King George, with his own hand, wrote a very polite epiftle to fifter Kitty,

requesting her friendly affiftance. Full powers and inftructions were fent at the fame time to Gunning, to agree for any force between five, and twenty thousand men, carte blanche for the terms; on condition, however, that they should ferve, not as auxiliaries, but as mercenaries, and that the Ruffian general should be abfolutely under the command of the British. They daily and hourly expect a mesfenger, and hope to hear that the business is concluded. The worst of it is, that the Baltic will foon be frozen up, and that it must be late next year before they can get to America. 2. In the mean time we are not quite eafy about Canada; and even if it should be safe from an attack, we cannot flatter ourselves with the expectation of bringing down that martial people on the Back-Settlements. The priests are ours; the gentlemen very prudently wait the event, and are disposed to join the ftronger party; but the fame lawless spirit and impatience of government which have infected our Colonies, are gone forth among the Canadian peasants, over whom, fince the conqueft, the nobleffe loft much of their ancient influence. Another thing which will pleafe and surprise, is the afsurance which I received from a man who might tell me a lie, but who could not be mistaken, that no arts, no management whatsoever, have been used to procure the addreffes which fill the Gazette, and that Lord North was as much furprised at the first that came up, as we could be at Sheffield. We fhall have, I suppose, some brisk skirmishing in parliament, but the bufinefs will foon be decided by our fuperior weight of fire. A propos, I believe

(

there has been fome vague but serious conversation
about calling out the militia. The new levies go
on very flowly in Ireland. The Diffenters, both
there and here, are violent and active.
I embrace my Lady and Maria.

N° LXVI.

Adieu.

GEORGE LEWIS SCOTT Efquire to EDWARD GIBBON

DEAR SIR,

Efquire.

December 29 th, 1775.

I AM obliged to you for the liberty of perufing part

of your work. What I have read, has given me a great deal of pleasure. I have found but few flips of the prefs, or the pen.

The ftyle of the work is clear, and every way agreeable; and I dare fay you will be thought to have written with all due moderation and decency with refpect to received (at least once received) opinions. The notes and quotations will add not a little to the value of the work. The authority of French writers, fo familiar to you, has not infected you, however, with the fault of fuperficial and careless quotations. I find, fince I faw you, that I must be in the chair at the Excife Office to-morrow; which fervice will confine me too much for a week, to permit me to wait upon you fo foon as I could wish.

I am very truly, dear Sir,

Your moft obedient and moft humble Servant.

N° LXVII.

EDWARD GIBBON Efquire to J. HOLROYD Efquire.

LONDON, January 18th, 1776.

How ow do you do? Are you alive? Are you buried under mountains of fnow? I write merely to triumph in the fuperiority of my own fituation, and to rejoice in my own prudence, in not going down to Sheffieldplace, as I feriously, but foolishly, intended to do laft week. We proceed triumphantly with the Roman Empire, and fhall certainly make our appearance before the end of next month. I have nothing public. You know we have got eighteen thoufand Germans from Heffe, Brunswick, and Heffe Darmstadt. I think our meeting will be lively; a spirited minority, and a defponding majority. The higher people are placed, the more gloomy are their countenances, the more melancholy their language. You may call this cowardice, but I fear it arifes from their knowledge (a late knowledge) of the difficulty and magnitude of the bufinefs. Quebec is not yet taken. I hear that Carleton is determined never to capitulate with rebels. A glo rious refolution, if it were fupported with fifty thoufand men! Adieu. I embrace my Lady and Maria. Make my excufes to the latter, for having neglected her birth-day.

N° LXVIII.

EDWARD GIBBON Efquire to J. HOLROYD Efquire. January 29th, 1776.

HARBS, &c. arrived fafe; were received with thanks, and devoured with appetite. Send more (id eft) of hares. I believe, in my laft I forgot faying any thing of the fon of Fergus; his letters reached him. What think you of the season? Siberia, is it not? A pleafant campaign in America. I read and pondered your last, and think that, in the place of Lord G. G. you might perhaps fucceed; but I much fear that our Leaders have not a genius which can act at the distance of three thousand miles. You know, that a large draught of guards are just going to America; poor dear creatures! We are met; but no business. Next week may be bufy; Scotch militia, &c. Roman Empire (first part) will be finished in a week, or fortnight. At laft, I have heard Texier; wonderful! Embrace my Lady. The weather too cold to turn over the page. Adieu.

Since this, I received your laft, and honor your care of the old women; a refpectable name, which, in spite of my Lady, may fuit Judges, Bishops, Generals, &c. I am rejoiced to hear of Maria's inoculation. I know not when you have done fo wife a thing. You may depend upon getting an excellent Houfe.

Adieu.