In 1783 he left England, and retired to Lausanne, to reside per mauently with his friend M. Deyverdun. From this time to 1787 he was engaged in the composition of the last three volumes of his great work, which appeared in 1788. He spent some time that year in England to superintend the publication, and again returned to Lausanne, where he remained till 1793, when the death of Lady Sheffield recalled him to his native country to console his friend. He died in London on the 16th of January 1794.
The 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' comprises the history of the world for nearly thirteen centuries, from the reign of the Antonines to the taking of Constantinople by the Turks; for the author does not confine himself to the history of the princes that reigned at Rome and Constantinople, but gives an account of all the various nations of the east and west which at any period influenced the destinies of tho Roman empire. In the prosecutiou of this design it was impossible for the historian to neglect the history of the Christian Church, which he properly considered as "a very essential part of the history of the Roman empire." Gibbon accordingly, in the course of his work, entered fully into the history of the Church, and in the first volume devoted two chapters to an account of the early progress and extension of Christianity. In relating the causes that occasioned the spread of Christianity, he was understood to have sought to undermine the divine authority of the system; and uume roue works were published in opposition to his opinions, to none of which did he make any reply "till Mr. Davie presumed to attack not the faith, but the fidelity of- the historian;" when he published his Vindication of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Chapters of his History.' Gibbon's Sketch of Ecclesiastical History is perhaps the best work on the subject in our language; but he writes rather as an advocate than as an lustoriau, and though lie seldom if ever wilfully perverts facts, yet he seizes every opportunity of casting ridicule upon the faith which he disbelieved.
The principal fault of Gibbon's history is owing to the extent and variety of the subjelet-matter. lie included in his plan the history of so many nations that no single individual could do justice to every particular. The reading of Gibbon was very' extensive, but yet not sufficiently extensive to give an accurate history of the world for thirteen centuries. His knowledge of Oriental history is often vague and unsatisfactory, and his acquaintance with the Byzantine historians is said by those who havo studied the subject to be superficial. But,
with all his defects, the 'Decline and Fall' was a great accession to literature ; Niebuhr indeed pronounced it "a work never to be excelled." It commas ancient and modern history, and contains information ou many subjects which historians generally neglect and sometimes unsuccessfully attempt. Thus, in the 44th chapter, he gives an historical account of tho Roman law, which is perhaps one of the best introductions to its study that we possess, and was consi dered by a celebrated foreign lawyer, Professor Hugo, to be worthy of a translation. Hugo published it at Giittingen, in 1789, under the title of ' Gibbon's historische Uebersicht des Romischen ltechts.' The ' Decline and Fall' has been translated into almost all the European languages. The last edition of the French translation contains notes on the history of Christianity, by M. Guizot ; and in a biography of Gibbon, by the same writer, in the 'Biographic Univer selle,' he has expressed his opinion of tho chief merits and defects of the `Dscline and Fall.' The 'Decline and Fall' was also published in 12 vols. 8vo, London, and has since been frequently reprinted. In the moat convenient edition of the ' Decline and Fall,' that edited by Dr. William Smith, 8 vole. Svo, 1854.55, arc embodied the more important notes of Guizot, the equally valuable ones of Wenck, the German translator, with those by Dean Mimeo intended to correct the ecclesiastical bias of the historian, and a judicious selection ,from the comments of other authorities, while the references aro throughout verified. His 'Miscellaneous Works, with memoirs of his life and writings composed by himself,' were published by Lord Sheffield in 2 vole. 4to, 1796; to which a third volume was added in 1815. Tho 'Miscel laneous Works' were reprinted in the same year in 5 vols. 8vo. This collection contains a republication of some of the works which have been already mentioued ; and in addition to these, a large 'Collection of Letters written by or to Mr. Gibbon ;" Abstracts of the Books he read, with Reflections;' Extracts, from hie Journal;" Outlines of the History of the World ; " A Dissertation on the Subject of L'Ilomme an Masque de Far;' ' Antiquities of the House of Brunswick ; ' M6moire star In Mouarchie des Medea; "Nomina Gentosque Antiqute Halite," Remarks on Blackstone'a Commentaries; "On the Position of the Meridional Line, and the supposed Circumnavigation of Africa by the Ancients, and other pieces of less importance.