Edward Gibbon and Benjamin Franklin

In his 11/23/2008 NYT book review on p. 12 of Piers Brendon's recent "The Decline and Fall of the British Empire 1781-1997," Geoffrey Wheatcroft wrote, "Shortly before (1781),Gibbon himself declined an invitation to dine with Benjamin Franklin in Paris since he represented an enemy country. Franklin genially replied that he would like to 'furnish materials to so excellent writer for the Decline and Fall of the British Empire,' so the idea isn't new."

Gibbon was inspired while visiting Rome in 1764 to write his "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" which he completed in 1788.