...hundred and twenty-seven; the first child of the marriage of Edward Gibbon, Esq., and of Judith Porten. My lot might have been that of a slave, a savage,...gifts of fortune. From my birth I have enjoyed the rights of primogeniture; but I was succeeded by five brothers and one sister, all of whom were snatched...

...early eighteenth century. The great historian Edward Gibbon wrote complacently in his autobiography, "My lot might have been that of a slave, a savage,...free and civilized country, in an age of science and philosophy."22 The same spirit was expressed in many different ways by English literati such as Pope...

...ofmyfate, which has cast by birth in an age of science and Philosophy, in a free and civilized country, in a family of honourable rank, and decently endowed with the gifts offortune. Of this family, the primitive seat was in the country of Kent. It is proved by authentic...

...hundred and thirty-seven ; the first child of the marriage of Edward Gibbon, Esq., and of Judith Porten. My lot might have been that of a slave, a savage,...rank, and decently endowed with the gifts of fortune. Of this family the primitive seat was in the County of Kent. It is proved by authentic records that...

...great historian. ' 3Iy lot,' says Gibbon, 'might have been that of a slave, a savage, or a pensant : nor can I reflect without pleasure on the bounty of...rank and decently endowed with the gifts of fortune.' " This proneness of people to make Dr. Watts responsible for all these juvenile poems is curious. CH....

...county of Surrey, the 27th of April, os, in the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-seven. . . . My lot might have been that of a slave, a savage,...bounty of Nature, which cast my birth in a free and civilised country, in an age of science and philosophy, in a family of honourable rank, and decently...

...which fixed hisexistence when and where it did, attended by so many advantages. " My lot," says he, " might have been that of a slave, a savage, or a peasant...I reflect without pleasure on the bounty of nature (he should have said Providence), which cast my birth in a free and civilised country, in an age of...

...with no common gratitude: "My lot," writes Edward Gibbon, "might have been that of a savage, a slave, or a peasant ; nor can I reflect without pleasure...bounty of Nature, which cast my birth in a free and civilised country, in an age of science and philosophy, in a family of honourable rank, and decently...

...with no common gratitude: "My lot," writes Edward Gibbon, "might have been that of a savage, a slave, or a peasant ; nor can I reflect without pleasure...bounty of Nature, which cast my birth in a free and civilised country, in an age of science and philosophy, in a family of honourable rank, and decently...