CHARACTERS: 
¥ know not how far his veracity, in 
point of circumstances, may safely 
be trusted, It was his original de. 
sign to penetrate through the North 
East Passage ; and he aétually fol- 
lowed the coast of Asia as high as 
the latitude of 67° 35’, till his pro- 
gress was stopped by the ice, ina 
streight betwecn the two conti- 
nents, which was only seven leagues 
broad. Thence he descended along 
the coast of America, as low as 
Cape Mendocin ; but was repulsed 
by contrary wirtds, in his attempts 
to reach the port of Acapulco, 
The journal of his Voyage, with 
his original charts, is now at Ver- 
sailles, in the Depét des Affaires 
Etrangéres; and if you conceived 
that it would be of any use to you 
for a second edition, I would try 
what might be obtained: though 
I am not ignorant of that mean 
jealousy which you yourself have 
experienced, and so deservedly 
stigmatised, Iam, &c, 
Dr. Robertson to Mr. Gibbon. 
Sir, 
I HAD the honour of your oblig- 
ing letter, and I should be a very 
proud man indeed, if I were not 
vain of the approbation which you 
are pleased to bestow upon me. 
As you will now have had an op- 
portunity to peruse the book, which 
you had only seen when you wrote 
to me, I indylge myself in the 
hopes, that the favourable opinion 
you had formed of it, is not dimi- 
nished, I am much pleased with 
your mentioning my friendship with 
Mr. Hume; 1 have always con- 
sidered that as one of the most 
fortunate and honourable circum- 
stances of my life, It is a felicity 
of the age and country in which 
[377- 
we live, that men of ‘letters can. 
enter the same walk of science, 
and go on successfully, without 
feeling one sentiment of envy or 
rivalship, In the intercourse be- 
tween Mr. Hume and me, we 
always found something to blame, as 
well as something to commend. \ have 
received frequently very valuable 
criticisms on my _ performances 
from him; and I have sometimes 
ventured to offer him my strictures 
on his works, Permit me to hope 
for the same indulgence from you. 
If, in reading the history of Ame- 
rica, any thing, either in the mat- 
ter or. style, has occurred to you 
as reprehensible, I will deem it a 
most. obliging favour if you will 
communicate it freely tome. Iam 
certain of profiting by such a com- 
munication, 
I return you thanks for. your 
frank offer of executing any lite. 
rary commission for me. I accept 
it without ceremony, and am flat. 
tered with the idea of receiving 
such aid from your hands. © I know 
nothing of Beniofski’s Adven- 
tures, but what was published in 
some newspapers. If one can rely 
on his veracity, what he relates 
must be very interesting to me. 
If you had been writing the history 
of America, the question concern- 
ing the mode of peopling it, might 
not perhaps have occupied vour at- 
tention very much, | But it was 
proper for me to consider it more 
fully. Beniofski (if he may -be 
credited) has seen what it may be 
useful for me to know. I can see 
no reason why the court of France 
should be shy about communicat- 
ing his journal, and the charts 
which illustrate it; possibly my 
name may operate somewhat to- 
wards obtaining a copy of both; 
your 
