Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon FRS was an English historian, writer and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788 and is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organized religion...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth27 April 1737
reign virtue monk
[All] the manly virtues were oppressed by the servile and pusillanimous reign of the monks.
law sovereign authority
[It] is the interest as well as duty of a sovereign to maintain the authority of the laws.
justice abuse prejudice
A jurisdiction thus vague and arbitrary was exposed to the most dangerous abuse: the substance, as well as the form, of justice were often sacrificed to the prejudices of virtue, the bias of laudable affection, and the grosser seductions of interest or resentment.
fashion book interesting
The books of jurisprudence were interesting to few, and entertaining to none: their value was connected with present use, and they sunk forever as soon as that use was superseded by the innovations of fashion, superior merit, or public authority.
judging firsts tyranny
[The] discretion of the judge is the first engine of tyranny . . .
philosophy giving greek
Greek is a musical and prolific language, that gives a soul to the objects of sense, and a body to the abstractions of philosophy.
flower blood path
From the paths of blood (and such is the history of nations) I cannot refuse to turn aside to gather some flowers of science or virtue.
character men law
[We should] suspend our belief of every tale that deviates from the laws of nature and the character of man.
independence honor infamous
It was no longer esteemed infamous for a Roman to survive his honor and independence.
communication ideas language
The communication of ideas requires a similitude of thought and language . . .
country effort wish
It is impossible to reduce, or, at least, to hold a distant country against the wishes and efforts of its inhabitants.
hands luxury poverty
[The Goths'] poverty was incurable; since the most liberal donatives were soon dissipated in wasteful luxury, and the most fertile estates became barren in their hands.
tribes principles language
Language is the leading principle which unites or separates the tribes of mankind.
law sanctions temper
But a law, however venerable be the sanction, cannot suddenly transform the temper of the times . . .