In July 1853 he was ordained and took up a post in the United Presbyterian church in Melrose in the Scottish Borders.

He then took a long break in which he devoted himself to study and travelling, including a trip to Cairo and the Holy Land in 1865.

During this period Gibson developed a strong love of Spanish poetry, and began working on translations.

During this period he worked on Duffield's translations of "Don Quixote", adding a more poetical edge to these.

On 11 September 1883, rather late in life, he married Margaret Dunlop Smith,[2] one of the "Westminster Sisters".