In this fascinating memoir, Edward Gibbon recounts his life and career as one of England's greatest historians. Drawing from his personal correspondence, Gibbon provides unique insights into the cultural and political life of England during the 18th century, as well as the challenges he faced as a writer and intellectual. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of ideas, or the personal lives of the great thinkers of the past.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.