Amongst his other books the first volume of Mr.Gibbon's history was brought to the hammer.

In the blank leaf of this was a note in the handwriting of Mr.Fox, stating a remarkable declaration of our historian at a well-known tavern in Pall Mall, and contrasting it with Mr.Gibbon's political conduct afterwards.

'The author,' it observed, 'at Brooks's said that there was no salvation for this country until six heads of the principal persons in administration' (Lord North being then prime minister) 'were laid upon the table.

Yet,' as the observation added, 'eleven days afterwards this same gentleman accepted a place of a lord of trade under these very ministers, and has acted with them ever since.'" It is impossible to tell what amount of truth there is in this story, and not very important to inquire.

It rests on the authority of a strong personal enemy, and the cordial intimacy which ever subsisted between Gibbon and Fox seems to show that it was mere calumny.