Gibbon's history was brought to the hammer. In the
blank leaf of this was a note in the handwriting of Mr. Fox, stating a
remarkable declaration of our historian at a well-known tavern in Pall
Mall, and contrasting it with Mr. Gibbon's political conduct
afterwards. 'The author,' it observed, 'at Brooks's said that there
was no salvation for this country until six heads of the principal
persons in administration' (Lord North being then prime minister)
'were laid upon the table. Yet,' as the observation added, 'eleven
days afterwards this same gentleman accepted a place of a lord of
trade under these very ministers, and has acted with them ever
since.'" It is impossible to tell what amount of truth there is in
this story, and not very important to inquire. It rests on the
authority of a strong personal enemy, and the cordial intimacy which
ever subsisted between Gibbon and Fox seems to show that it was mere
calumny. Perhaps the fact that Gibbon had really no opinions in
politics may have led persons of opposite parties to think that he
agreed with them more than he did, and when he merely followed his own
interest, they may have inferred that he was deserting their
principles.
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