The great news at prefent is the arrival of a very extraordinary perfon from the Ifle of France in the East Indies. An obfcure Frenchman, who was lately come into the island, being very ill, and given over, faid, that before he died he muft difcharge his confcience of a great burden he had upon it, and declared to several people, he was the accomplice of Damien, and the very person who held the horfes. Unluckily for him, the man recovered after this declaration, was immediately fent prifoner to Paris, and is just landed at Port l'Orient, from whence, he is daily. expected here, to unravel the whole mystery of that dark affair. This story (which at firft was laughed at) has now gained entire credit, and I apprehend muft he founded on real fact.

A lady of mifs Caryll's acquaintance has defired me to convey the inclofed letter to her. You will be fo good as to fend it over to Lady-holt. I hope I need fay nothing of my fentiments towards our friends at Beriton, nor of my readiness to execute any of their commands here.

1 am, dear Sir, most affectionately yours,
E. GIBBON.

N° XVII.

Mr. GIBBON to Mr. HOLROYD at Laufanne.

DEAR HOLROYD, BOROMEAN ISLANDS, May the 16th, 1764.

HURRY of running about, time taken up with

feeing places, &c. are excellent excufes; but I fancy you will guefs that my laziness and averfion to writ

ing

ing to my best friend are the real motives, and I am afraid you will have gueffed right.

We e are at this minute in a moft magnificent palace, in the middle of a vast lake; ranging about fuits of rooms without a foul to interrupt us, and fecluded from the rest of the universe. We shall fit down in a moment to fupper, attended by all the Count's household. This is the fine fide of the medal: turn to the reverse. We are got here wet to the skin; we have crawled about fine gardens which rain and fogs prevented our feeing; and if to-morrow does not hold up a little better, we shall be in fome doubt whether we can fay we have feen these famous iflands. Guise fays yes, and I say no. The Count is not here; we have our fupper from a paultry hedge alehouse, (excuse the bull,) and the fervants have offered us beds in the palace, pursuant to their master's directions.

I hardly think you will like Turin; the court is old and dull; and in that country every one follows the example of the court. The principal amusement seems to be, driving about in your coach in the evening, and bowing to the people you meet. If you go while the Royal Family is there, you have the additional pleasure of stopping to falute them every time they pass. I had that advantage fifteen times one afternoon. We were presented to a lady who keeps a public affembly, and a very mournful one it is; the few women that go to it are each taken up by their cicifbeo; and a poor Englishman, who can neither talk Piedmontois nor play at Faro ftands by himself without one of their haughty nobiVOL. II. H

lity doing him the honor of speaking to him. Your must not attribute this account to our not having ftaid long enough to form connexions. It is a general complaint of our countrymen, except of Lord ***, who has been engaged for about two years in the fervice of a lady, whofe long nofe is her moft diftinguishing fine feature. The moft fociable women I have met with are the king's daughters. I chatted for about a quarter of an hour with them, talked about Lausanne, and grew fo very free and easy, that I drew my snuff-box, rapped it, took fnuff twice (a crime never known before in the prefence chamber), and continued my discourse in my usual attitude of my body bent forwards, and my fore finger ftretched out ". As it might however have been difficult to keep up this acquaintance, I chiefly employ my time in feeing places, which fully repaid me in pleasure the trouble of my journey. What entertained me the moft, was the mufeum and the citadel. The firft is under the care of a M. Bartoli, who received us, without any introduction, in the politeft manner in the world, and was of the greatest fervice to us, as I dare fay he will be to you. The citadel is a ftupendous work; and when you have feen the fubterraneous part of it, you will scarcely think it poffible fuch a place can ever be taken. As it is however a regular one, it does not pique my curiofity fo much as those irregular fortifications hewn out of the Alps, as Exiles, Feneftrelles, and the Brunette would have done, could we have fpared the time neceffary Our next stage from Turin has been Milan, where we were mere fpectators, as it was

not worth while to endeavour at forming connexions for fo very few days. I think you will be surprised at the great church, but infinitely more fo at the regi ment of Baden, which is in the citadel. Such teadi. nefs, fuch alertnefs in the men, and fuch exactness in the officers, as exceeded all my expectations. Next Friday I shall see the regiment reviewed by General Serbelloni. Perhaps I may write a particular letter about it. From Milan we proceed to Genoa, and thence to Florence. You ftare - But really we find it fo inconvenient to travel like mutes, and to lose a number of curious things for want of being able to affift our eyes with our tongues, that we have refumed our original plan, and leave Venice for next year. I think I fhould advise you to do the fame.

MILAN, May 18th, 1764.

THE next morning was not fair, but however we were able to take a view of the islands, which, by the help of fome imagination, we conclude to be a very delightful, though not an enchanted place. I would certainly advise you to go there from Milan, which you may very well perform in a day and half. Upon our return, we found Lord Tilney and fome other English in their way to Venice. We heard a melancholy piece of news from them: Byng died at Bologna a few days ago of a fever. I am fure you will be all very forry to hear it.

We expect a volume of news from you in relation to Lausanne, and in particular to the alliance of the Duchefs with the Frog. Is it already concluded? How does the bride look after her great revolution?

Pray embrace her and the adorable, if you can, in both our names; and affure them, as well as all the Spring", that we talk of them very often, but particularly of a Sunday; and that we are fo difconfolate, that we have neither of us commenced cicifbeos as yet, whatever we may do at Florence. We have drank the Duchefs's health, not forgetting the little woman on the top of Mount Cenis, in the middle of the Lago Maggiore, &c. &c lexpect some account of the faid little woman. Who is my fucceffor? I think**** had began to fupplant me before I went. I expect your answer at Florence, and your perfon at Rome; which the Lord grant. Amen.

N° XVIII.

Mr. GIBBON to Mr. HOLROYD at Berlin.

DEAR HOLROYD, BERITON, Octob. 31ft, 1765. WHY did I not leave a letter for you at Marseilles? For a very plain reafon : because I did not go to Marseilles, But, as you have moft judiciously added, why did not I fend one? Hun ph. I own that nonpluffes me a little. However, hearken to my hiftory. After revolving a variety of plans, and fuiting them as well as poffible to time and finances, Guife and I at last agreed to pafs from Venice to Lyons, fwim down the Rhone, wheel round the fouth of France, and embark at Bourdeaux. Alas! At Lyons I received letters which convinced me that I ought no longer to deprive my country of one of her greateft ornaments.