arrival. His Lordship reached Mr. G.'s lodgings in St. James's Street about midnight, and was informed that his friend had expired at a quarter before one o'clock on that day, the 16th of January 1794.

It feems that when Lord Sheffield quitted him on Tueiday afternoon, he faw fome company, Lady Lucan and Lady Spencer, and thought himself well enough at night to cmit his opium draught, which he had been used to take for fome time. He flept very in differently; before nine the next morning he rofe, but could not eat break faft. He appeared tolerably well, but complained at times of a pain in his ftemach. At one o'clock he received a vifit of an hour from Madame de Sylva, and at three his friend Mr. Crau. furd of Auchinames called, and Rayed with him till paft five o'clock. They talked as ufual on various subjects; and twenty hours before his death, Mr. Gibbon fell into a converfation, not uncommon with him, on the probable duration of his life. He faid, that he thought himself likely to live for ten, twelve, or perhaps twenty years. About fix, he ate the wing of a chicken, and drank three glaffes of Madeira. Af. ter dinner he became very uneafy and impatient, complained a great deal, and appeared fo weak, that his fervant was slarmed. He fent to his friend and felition, Mr. Robert Darell, whofe house was not far diftant, defiring to fee him, as he had fomething particular to communicate. Unfortunately this interview never took place.

During the evening he complained much of his ftomach, and of an incli nation to vomit. Soon after nine he took his opium draught and went to bed. About ten he complained of much pain, and defired that warth napkins might be applied to his fromach. He almost inceffantly expreffed a fenfe of pain till about four o'clock in the morning, when he faid his ftomach was much eafier. About feven the fervant asked whether he fhoald fend for Mr. Farquhar? He answered, no: that he was as well as he had been the day before. At half past eight he got out of bed, and faid he was plus adroit than he had been for three months paft, and gor into bed again without fift. ance, and better than nfual. About pine he faid that he would rife. The Mervant, however, perfuaded him to reman in bedrill Mr. Farquhar, who was VOL. XXX, SEPT. 1796.

expected at eleven, fhould come. Till about that hour he (poke with great facility. Mr. Farquhar came at the time appointed, and Mr. Gibbon was then visibly dying. When the valer de

chambre returned, after attending Mr. Farquhar out of the room, Mr. Gib. bon faid, Pourquoi eft-ce que vous me quitter? This was at half past eleven. At twelve he drank fome brandy and water from a tea-pot, and defired his favourite fervant to continue in the room. The above were the laft words he pronounced articulately. He preserved his fenfes to the laft; and when he could no longer speak, his fervant having asked a queftion, he made a fign to fhew that he understood him. He was quite tranquil, and did not ftir, but lay with his eyes half fhut. About a quarter before one he ceafed to breathe.

The valet de chambre obferved, that Mr. Gibbon did not at any time fhew the leaft fign of alarm, or apprehenfion of death; and it does not appear that he ever thought himself in danger, unlefs his defire to speak to Mr. Darell may be confidered in that light.

Lord Sheffield apologizes for dwelling fo long on thefe minute and melancholy circumftances; yet he thinks that the clofe of fuch a life can hardly fail to intereft every reader; and infinuates befides, that the public has received a different and very erroneous account of the last moments of his friend.

From the variety of Letters contained in the Appendix, we fhall felect two of very oppofite characters for the entertainment of our readers; the first, written to his father in the year 1760; and the other in the year 1793 to a nobie Lord, congratulating him on his appointment, as we believe, to the direction of the Admiralty.

MR. GIBBON TO HIS FATHER.

"DEAR SIR,

"As addrefs in writing from a per fon who has the pleasure of being with you every day, may appear fingular. However, I have preferred this me had, as upon paper I can speak without a bluth, and be heard without interrup tion. It my letter difpleafe you, impute it, dear Sir, only to yourfeif. You have treated me not like a fen, but like a friend. Can you be furprized that I fhould communicate to a friend all my thoughts and all my deûres ! Unless Ce

the

the friend approve them, let the father never know them; or at least, let him know at the fame time that however reasonable, however eligible my fcheme may appear to me, I would rather for get it for ever than cause him the flight eft uneasiness.

"When I first returned to England, attentive to my future interest, you were fo good as to give me hopes of a feat in parliament. This feat, it was fuppofed, would be an expence of fif teen hundred pounds. This defign flat tered my vanity, as it might enable me to fhine in fo auguft an affembly. It flattered a nobler paffion: I promised myfelf, that by the means of this feat I might be one day the inftrument of fome good to my country. But I foon per ceived how little a mere virtuous inclination, unaffifted by talents, could contribute towards that great end; and a very short examination difcovered to me, that thofe talents had not fallen to my lot. Do not, dear Sir, impute this declaration to a faffe modefty, the meaneft fpecies of pride. Whatever elfe I may be ignorant of, I think I know myfelf, and fhall always endeavour to mention my good qualities without vanity, and my defects without repugnance. I fhall say nothing of the most intimate acquaintance with his country and language, fo abfolutely neceffary to any fenator. Since they may be ac quired,to alledge my deficiency in them, would feem only the plea of lazinefs. But I fhall fay with great truth, that I never poffeffed that gift of fpeech, the first requifite of an orator, which ufe and labour may improve, but which nature alone can bestow. That my temper, quiet, retired, fomewhat referved, could neither acquire popularity,bcar up against oppofition, nor mix with cafe in the crowds of public life. That even my genius (if you will allow me any) is better qualified for the deliberate compofitions of the closet, than for the extemporary difcourfes of the parliament. An unexpected objection would difconcert me; and as I am incapable of explaining to others what I do not thoroughly understand myself, I should be meditating while I ought to be anfwering. I even want neceffary prejudices of party, and of nation. In popular affemblies, it is often neceffary to infpire them; and never orator infpired well a paffion which he did not feel himself. Suppofe me even mistaken in my own character; to fet out with the

repugnance fuch an opinion must pros duce, offers but an indifferent prospect. But I hear you fay, it is not necessary that every man fhould enter into parlia ment with fuch exalted hopes. It is to acquire a title the most glorieus of any in a free country, and to employ the weight and confideration it gives in the fervice of one's friends. Such motives, though not glorious, yet are not dishonourable; and if we had a borough in our command, if you could bring me in without any great expence, or if our fortune enabled us to defpife that expence, then indeed I fhould think them of the greatest ftrength; but with our private fortune, is it worth while to purchase at fo high a rate a title, honourable in itself, but which I muft share with every fellow that can lay out fifteen hundred pounds? . Befides, dear Sir, a merchandize is of little value to the owner when he is refolved not se fell it.

I should affront your penetration, did I not fuppofe you now fee the drift of this letter. It is to appropriate to another ute the fum which you de ftined to bring me into parliament; to employ it, not in making me great, but in rendering me happy. I have of ten heard you say yourself, that the allowance you had been fo indulgent as to grant me, though very liberal in regard to your eftate, was yet but fmall, when compared with the almost neceffary extravagancies of the age. I have indeed found it fo, notwithstanding a good deal of economy, and an exemption from many of the common expences of youth. This, dear Sir, would be a way of fupplying thofe deficiencies, without any additional expence to you. But I for bear. If you think my proposals reafonable, you want no entreaties to engage you to comply with them; if otherwife, all will be without effect.

"All that I am afraid of, dear Sir, is, that I fhould feem not so much asking a favour, as this really is, as exacting a debt. After all I can fay, you will ftill remain the best judge of my good, and your own circumftances. Perhaps, like most landed gentlemen, an addition to my annuity would fuit you better than a fum of money given at once; perhaps the fum itself may be too confiderable. Whatever you thall think preper to bestow upon me, or in whatever manner, will be received with equal gratitude.

On the fecond volume of this work we shall not long detain the reader, as its contents are generally neither fo interefting nor lo original as thofe of the first.

The following character of Erafmus from Les Extras railonnes de mes Lectures, is judicious and neat:

"If we confider the character of Erafmus, we thall be immediately struck with his extenfive erudition; and that, heightened by two circumftancos.

66

Firft, That he was fcarcely ever fixed ix months in a place (excepting at Bafi); that to this wandering life, which deprived him both of books and leiture, must be added, a continued bad ftate of health, and the conftant avocation of a vast correfpondence, Second ly, That his learning was all real, and founded on the accurate perufal of the ancient authors. The numerous edi. tions he published fufficiently evince it; and befides, thofe convenient compilations of all forts, where a modern au thor can learn to be a profound scholar, at a very finall expence, did not then cxift; every thing was to be fought for in the originals themselves. But befides this learning, which was common to many, Erafmus poffeffed a genius, with out which no writer will ever defcend to pofterity; a genius which could fee through the vain fubtleties of the Schools, revive the laws of criticifm, treat every fubje&t with eloquence and delicacy; fometimes emulate the ançients, often imitate them, and never copy them. As to his morais, they had the poor merit of being regular. In the nobler part of his character I find him very deficient. A parafite of all the great men of his time, he was nei. ther afhamed to magnify their characters by the lowest adulatior, nor to debafe his own by the moft impudent foilcitations, to obtain prefents which very often he did not want. The adventure of Eppendorf is another proof how much dearer his money was to him than his character. Notwithstanding thefe faults, never man enjoyed a greater perfonal Confideration. All the fcholars, and all the princes of Europe, looked upon him as an oracle. Even Charles the Fifth and Francis the Firft agreed in this. If we enquire why this happened to him rather than to fome other great men of a merit equal, and perhaps fuperior to Erafmus, we mult fay that it was owing to the time when he lived; when the world, awaking from a fleep of a

thousand years, all orders of men ap plied themielves to letters with an enthufiafin which produced in them the higheft efteem and veneration for one of their principal reftorers. Befides, as the general attention, from piety, from curiofity, from vanity, and from intereft, was directed towards the religious dif putes, a great divine was the fashion. able character, and all parties endeavoured to attract or to preferve him. But to which of those parties did Eraf mus adhere? His writings, and even his conduct, were often equivocal. The Catholics claim him, though they ac knowledge that he was often indiscreet. Le Clerc challenges him for the Protefants, though he blames him for not profeffing what he knew to have been the truth; and attributes his referve folely to timidity and felt-intereft Erafmus has certainly expofed all the groffer fuperftitions of the Romish wor hip to the ridicule of the public, and had his free opinion been taken, I believe that he was a Proteftant upon moft of the contefted points. But many other motives might restrain him from a declaration. He was always perfuaded, that any speculative truths were dearly purchased at the expence of practical virtue and public peace. Besides, many confiderations might often make him balance as to thole truths: prejudices of education, the authority of the fathers, and a natural inclination to feeptieifm. Add to all this, that really difapproving many things in the Proteftant commu nion, though more in the Romith, by remaining in the loose fituation of a inan who was unwilling to quit the religion of his anceitors, he could blame many things in it with freedom; whereas, had he defcrted it, he must either have fet up a standard himself, or elle have enlifted blindly under that of Luther or Ecolainpadius. It is furprizing that Erafmus, who could fee through much more plaufible fables, believed firmly in witchcraft.”

The thort differtation on The Man with the Iron Mejk, has, we believe, already appeared in fome of the periodi cal publications. Our author conjectures that this unfortunate prifoner, who was known in the Baftile by the name of Marchiali, was the natural fon of the Queen Mother of France and Cardi

Mazarin; and the hypothefis is certainly more probable than that of Monf. D'Anquetil. Indeed, if it be only admitted that Marchiali was a pri

foner

fener from the first moment of his exiftence, Mr. Gibbon's may be confidered as a fufficient folution of an hitherto inexplicante hittorical problem.

The Antiquities of the House of Brunf wick confift of about ninety pages, written with care and fpirit. The defcription of the Nuptials of Boniface, Marquus of Tufcary, and of the Character of Alberi Ao the Second, are portraits drawn in our author's best manner.

We have now finished our furvey of this voluminous and amusing work; and, from the judgment we have formed of it, which we have alfo endeavoured

to communicate to the reader, by extracts, by epitome, and by occafional remarks, are induced to conclude, in oppofition to the generally received opinon, that Mr. Giobon was a scholar not lefs profound than elegant; more profound, probably, than any of his antagonifts; that his defects as a writer, whether critical, moral, or religious, were the confequence of his foreign prejudices and his foreign manners; and that his excellencies were exclufively his own; the rich fruits of indefatigable industry and of inventive genius.

R. R.

HAVING, in our laft Number, given an analysis of thefe volumes, we will, in refuming the fubject, begin by conveying to our readers fome account of their rife, and the claim they have to public attention. This we are enabled to do in the writer's own words, as he has given in this, as in his former reports, a brief detail of the circumftances that attended his furvey.

"Tomy valuable and lamented friend, the late SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, whofe Virtues were best known to thofe who were beft acquainted with his private character, I am chiefly indebted for the opportunity of forming the Register, which is now under publication.

"In the Summer of 1791, I made my first journey into the WEST of DEVONSHIRE, to examine into the state of his Kural concerns, in that part, of the county; and, in the Autumn of the fame year, returned, to endeavour to retrieve them from the difgraceful ftate in which I had found them. In the fucceeding Autumn, I made a third journey, to the fame quarter; and, in the fummer of 1794, 1 went over the whole of the DRAKE ESTATE, lying in different parts of Devonthire.

"It will perhaps be faid, that the VALLEY OF THE TAMER, is too conbned, and is of too little importance as a Diftrict, to be fuitable for a PRINCIPAL STATION. Indeed, it is more than probable, that had I chofen my ftation, I would not have been that which circumftances affigned me.

"But (thanks to the Difpefer of Cir cumftances), now, when I am acquainted with the feveral Districts of this Department of the Ifland, I am convinced, that there is no other fitua tion, which could have been made equally favorable to my views, as that in which I was placed-as it were providentially. There is no other individual ftation, in which I could have commanded, fo well, the two Counties of DEVON and CORNWALL, and, at the fame time, the fertile District of the SOUTH HAMS," the Garden of Devonfhire,"-of which diftinguished Diftrict the Valley of the Tamer forms, in reality, a part.

"Befide, in the Valley of the Tamer, and on the magnificent Farm on which I refided, the very first in the Country,I poffeffed the most favor. able opportunity, that either circumftances or choice had to give, of Audying the DANMONIAN PRACTICE, in all its branches, and in its almoft priftime purity *.

"A few particulars of modern practice, that have been recently introduced into this part of the land, especially into the South Hams, have not deranged the LONG-ESTABLISHED SYSTEM OF DANMONIAN HUSBANDRY; which is ftill firmly rooted, in the feveral Diftras of this Department; and remains as diftinguishable from the ordinary management of the body of the Ifland, as if the Peniniula, they form, had been recently attached to it.

"More