GIBBON. 335 



after he had lost the vigour of passion." This censure 

 is certainly much too sharp, and it is truly astonishing 

 that Gibbon felt it not. Delighted with Person's alliance 

 against Travis, and pleased with the panegyric of his 

 own diligence and accuracy which the great Grecian had 

 penned, he only says that " the sweetness of his praise is 

 tempered by a reasonable mixture of acid." He also de- 

 fends himself against the charge of indecency as preferred 

 by others, and his principal argument is the exceedingly 

 feeble, and even doubtful one, that his English text is 

 chaste, and that " all licentious passages are left in the 

 obscurity of a learned language." It is undeniable, 

 however, that, after allowing Person's invective to be 

 exaggerated, there can be no excuse for some of the notes 

 as those on Elagabalus, and Mahomet, and Theodora, 

 which throw little, if any, light upon the subject, and 

 only serve to pander for a prurient imagination. 



