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Edward Gibbon

Born

in Putney, Surrey, England

May 08, 1737

Died

January 16, 1794

Website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Gibbon

Genre

History, Memoir

Influences

Montesquieu, Charles Julius Bertram ...more

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Edward Gibbon (8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The Decline and Fall is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organised religion.

Gibbon returned to England in June 1765. His father died in 1770, and after tending to the estate, which was by no means in good condition, there remained quite enough for Gibbon to settle fashionably in London at 7 Bentinck Street, independent of financial concerns. By February 1773, he was writing in earnest, but not without the occasional self-imposed distraction. He took Edward Gibbon (8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The Decline and Fall is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organised religion.

Gibbon returned to England in June 1765. His father died in 1770, and after tending to the estate, which was by no means in good condition, there remained quite enough for Gibbon to settle fashionably in London at 7 Bentinck Street, independent of financial concerns. By February 1773, he was writing in earnest, but not without the occasional self-imposed distraction. He took to London society quite easily, and joined the better social clubs, including Dr. Johnson's Literary Club, and looked in from time to time on his friend Holroyd in Sussex. He succeeded Oliver Goldsmith at the Royal Academy as 'professor in ancient history' (honorary but prestigious). In late 1774, he was initiated a freemason of the Premier Grand Lodge of England. And, perhaps least productively in that same year, he was returned to the House of Commons for Liskeard, Cornwall through the intervention of his relative and patron, Edward Eliot. He became the archetypal back-bencher, benignly "mute" and "indifferent," his support of the Whig ministry invariably automatic. Gibbon's indolence in that position, perhaps fully intentional, subtracted little from the progress of his writing.

After several rewrites, with Gibbon "often tempted to throw away the labours of seven years," the first volume of what would become his life's major achievement, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published on 17 February 1776. Through 1777, the reading public eagerly consumed three editions for which Gibbon was rewarded handsomely: two-thirds of the profits amounting to approximately £1,000. Biographer Leslie Stephen wrote that thereafter, "His fame was as rapid as it has been lasting." And as regards this first volume, "Some warm praise from David Hume overpaid the labour of ten years."

Volumes II and III appeared on 1 March 1781, eventually rising "to a level with the previous volume in general esteem." Volume IV was finished in June 1784; the final two were completed during a second Lausanne sojourn (September 1783 to August 1787) where Gibbon reunited with his friend Deyverdun in leisurely comfort. By early 1787, he was "straining for the goal" and with great relief the project was finished in June. Gibbon later wrote:

It was on the day, or rather the night, of 27 June 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrote the last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. ... I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea that I had taken my everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that, whatsoever might be the future date of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.

Volumes IV, V, and VI finally reached the press in May 1788, their publication having been delayed since March so it could coincide with a dinner party celebrating Gibbon's 51st birthday (the 8th). Mounting a bandwagon of praise for the later volumes were such contemporary luminaries as Adam Smith, William Robertson, Adam Ferguson, Lord Camden, and Horace Walpole. Smith remarked that Gibbon's triumph had positioned him "at the very head of [Europe's] literary tribe." ...more

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Edward Gibbon’s books

Average rating: 4.06 · 24,735 ratings · 1,676 reviews · 2,019 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, Daniel J. Boorstin (Introduction), Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Illustrations), Hans-Friedrich Mueller (Editor) 4.02 avg rating — 15,568 ratings — published 1776 — 1378 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume I 4.17 avg rating — 3,516 ratings — published 1776 — 759 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume III 4.25 avg rating — 1,410 ratings — published 1788 — 179 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume II by Edward Gibbon, David P. Womersley (Introduction) 4.23 avg rating — 1,264 ratings — published 1781 — 603 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Christians and the Fall of Rome 3.49 avg rating — 429 ratings — published 1776 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Volume 4 4.02 avg rating — 342 ratings — published 1993 — 273 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume V (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire #5) 4.04 avg rating — 323 ratings — published 1788 — 266 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: Volumes 4-6 by Edward Gibbon, Hugh Trevor-Roper (Introduction) 4.37 avg rating — 257 ratings — published 1994 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Volume 6 4.05 avg rating — 268 ratings — published 1788 — 230 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Memoirs of My Life 4.04 avg rating — 210 ratings — published 1796 — 118 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Edward Gibbon (?)

“We improve ourselves by victory over our self. There must be contests, and you must win.”
― Edward Gibbon

1387 likes

“The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.”
― Edward Gibbon

1022 likes

“The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true; by the philosopher as equally false; and by the magistrate as equally useful.”
― Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

tags: corruption, magistrate, organized-religion, roman-empire, rome, useful, worship

321 likes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
History: Actual, ...: Pre-Discussion-Roman Empire	37	69	Mar 03, 2010 05:50AM
The History Book ...: PUBLICATION INFO - THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE	7	41	Mar 08, 2010 12:29AM
The History Book ...: THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE VOLUME I ~ SYLLABUS	33	147	May 06, 2010 11:37PM
The History Book ...: INTRODUCTION - THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE	7	46	May 07, 2010 06:43PM
The History Book ...: 2. THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE ~ CHAPTER 2 and INTRO (56 - 84 and xxiii- xliii) (05/17/10 - 05/23/10) ~ No spoilers, please	48	46	May 27, 2010 01:54PM

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Edward Gibbon’s Followers (611)

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Edward Gibbon

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