An indefinable stamp of weightiness is impressed on Gibbon's writing; he has a baritone manliness which banishes everything small, trivial, or weak.
When he is eloquent (and it should be remembered to his credit that he never affects eloquence, though he occasionally affects dignity), he rises without effort into real grandeur.

On the whole we may say that his manner, with certain manifest faults, is not unworthy of his matter, and the praise is great.
It is not quite easy to give expression to another feeling which is often excited in reading Gibbon.

It is somewhat of this kind, that it is more fitted to inspire admiration than love or sympathy.

Its merits are so great, the mass of information it contains is so stupendous, that all competent judges of such work feel bound to praise it.
Whether they like it in the same degree, may be questioned.

Among reading men and educated persons it is not common--such is my experience--to meet with people who know their Gibbon well.