310 GIBBON. 



cheerfulness with which our poor friend Lord North 

 supported his fall." The lover of Mile. Curchod, not 

 unnaturally, nor yet very tenderly, or even politely, 

 adverts to Mme. Necker's mode of supporting the common 

 calamity which had exiled to their own country, from 

 one which they had grossly misgoverned, a wealthy, a 

 learned family, that affected the station of philosophers. 

 " She maintains more external composure, mais le diable 

 n'y perd rien." There follows a fair and somewhat 

 favourable character of this weak man. Anything more 

 despicable than the figure he makes in Gibbon's sketch 

 can hardly be conceived. The year after he again visited 

 Coppet frequently; and he found Necker's spirits much 

 restored, especially since the publication of his last book, 

 not the ' Bonheur des Sots/ his cleverest work, but pro- 

 bably his answer to Calonne's ' Compte Rendu/ 



On the French Revolution Gibbon frequently expresses 

 his strong opinion and warm feelings in perfect accord- 

 ance with those of Burke ; of whom he says, " I admire 

 his eloquence, I approve his politics, I adore his chivalry, 

 and I can almost excuse his reverence for church esta- 

 blishments." Even when Burke's violence had spurned 

 all bounds of moderation, we find the historian, in refer- 

 ence to the famous debate of May, 1791, in his letters 

 exclaiming, "Poor Burke is the most eloquent and 

 rational madman that I ever knew. I love Fox's feel- 

 ings, but I doubt the political principles of the man and 

 of the party/' 



In 1791 Lord Sheffield's family paid him a visit, 

 passing some time with him at Lausanne, where they 

 found him settled in an excellent house and handsome 

 garden, commanding a beautiful view of the lake and the 



