286 GIBBON. 



paration for literary exertion; and be it observed, that 

 though he had now attained and passed his twenty-first 

 year with habits of study well fitted to excite emulation 

 and urge the boldness of youth into attempts at obtain- 

 ing literary fame, or at least into experimental trials of 

 his strength, he passed all the time of his studious resi- 

 dence at Lausanne without any effort of composition, 

 and never seems to have thought of becoming an author 

 after the boyish essay on the Age of Socrates, which he 

 had made during his first Oxford vacation, and which he 

 afterwards committed to the flames. 



It was during this period of his life, alike happy and 

 useful, that he became, or dreamt he became, enamoured 

 of Mile. Curchod, daughter of a venerable pastor. She 

 returned his flame ; but on his father very peremptorily 

 " forbidding the banns," alarmed it should seem quite as 

 much with this Calvinistic as he had before been with 

 the Romish conversion, the dutiful son broke off the 

 connexion in a letter, which ended with, " C'est pour quoi, 

 Mile., J'ai Thonneur d'etre votre tres-humble et tres- 

 obeissant serviteur, E. G.;"* and which forms one of the 

 reasons why I have expressed some doubt of his really 

 having felt the heat of the tender passion. The story is 

 often told of his bodily weakness having, when on the 

 floor at her feet, prevented him from rising, and his 

 bodily weight kept her from assisting him, so that the bell 

 was resorted to, in order that extraneous help might be 

 procured in the dilemma. Be this as it may, the lady 

 was reserved for a higher destiny. She became the wife 



* This curious particular is not given by himself, but by his 

 friend, M. Suard. (' Memoire.') 



