My wife's ancestors - Gibbon - Contents

Edward Gibbon, the historian

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Edward Gibbon in [DNB].
  • Edward Gibbon in [Enc. Britannica].

  • Young Edward Gibbon: Gentleman of Letters, Patricia Craddock, Baltimore, 1982. Contains genealogy.

Edward Gibbon, 1773.
This is a picture from the NPG used at Wikimedia Commons. NPG has said low-resolution images can be used.

Edward Gibbon, the historian,
born 27 Apr 1737.
One of the leading figures of the 18th century Enlightenment.
See wikipedia.
He was educ Magdalen College, Oxford.
He became engaged to Suzanne Curchod, but his father would not let him marry her. She later became Madame Necker and the mother of Madame de Staël.
He became famous as author of Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (see here), 6 vols, 1776-1788.
His gentle defense of classical paganism against the new Christianity in Ch.15 and Ch.16 of Vol.1 caused great scandal.
The phrase "The Decline and Fall of ..." has passed into the language.
He moved to Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1783.
He died London, 16 Jan 1794, age 56 yrs. See his deathbed.
He was bur in the church at Fletching, East Sussex.
See images at [NPG].

Edward Gibbon.
From here.

Burial place of Edward Gibbon, Fletching church.
Photo 2010 by Nick Smith. From Geograph.

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".. little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind"
- Gibbon on history.

"Another damned, thick, square, book! Always scribble, scribble, scribble! Eh! Mr. Gibbon?"
- William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, upon receiving the second volume from the author, 1781.