How was Edward Gibbon connected to Samuel Johnson, Joshua Reynolds, and David Garrick?

Edward Gibbon’s connection to Samuel Johnson, Joshua Reynolds, and David Garrick was primarily centered on his membership in The Club, a prestigious intellectual circle established by the painter Sir Joshua Reynolds around the writer and lexicographer Dr. Samuel Johnson.1

Gibbon was elected to this group in 1775. While he participated actively in the club's affairs, his relationship with its central figures was varied:

• Samuel Johnson: Although Gibbon was a member of Johnson's circle, it is inferred that Johnson disliked him. This tension was mirrored by Johnson’s biographer, James Boswell, who openly detested Gibbon.1
• Joshua Reynolds and David Garrick: Despite the friction with Johnson and Boswell, Gibbon became intimate with both Reynolds and the actor David Garrick through their shared association in the club.1