The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-11 00:00:00

SALE AT Fo sTHILL ABBEY.

FONTIIILL, SEPT. 9.—To-day the sale of the
superb Effects of this magnificent Establishment
commenced. The fineness of the weather was
highly favourable to the display, of all the cir-
cumstances which invest the Abbey with so much
interest and attraction. The serene and mellow
radiance of a clear autumnal sun gave to the
solemn architecture of Fonthill, and the deep
scenery in which it is embosomed, the highest
richness and variety of effect. Notwithstanding
the beauty of the morning, however, the con-
course of visitors was not so great as had been
expected ; but it was accounted for on the
ground that an erroneous opinion had gone
abroad of the vied having closed in consequence
of the commencement of the sale. There is no
doubt, that had It not been for such a supposi-
tion, the Humber of equipages, which added
brilliancy and animation to the scene, would
have been much augmented, and there world
have been a greater profusion of beauty to give
its last and consummate grace to a creation of
human art, which 13$ems to realize the fictions of
Arabian enchantment. The public were informed
that the Library would be taken first, but the
rare and curious works were not among those
enumerated for the first clay's sale. At one
o'clock the sale commenced. Mr. l'utrAirs ad-
dressed the company, and said, he had the honour
of calling their atttention to a sale of property as
important in point of value, selection, and variety,
as any that had ever been exposed to sale in this
country. He begged to be allowed to state dis-
tinctly, that the instructions which he had re-
ceived were such as made it imperative on him to
sell every article specified in the catalogue with-
out the smallest reservation, notwithstanding all
that was said or written to the contrary. For the
accuracy of what he stated, he referred them to
the Excise Office at the close of the sale, by which
they could at once ascertain the truth of his as-
sertion, and any deception which might be
practised would be detected, for he would not
make the statement unless it would bear the test
of the severest scrutiny. Ile then enumerated
the general arrangements under which the sale
was to be conducted, as announced in the cata-
logue. The conditions would be read by the
Clerk, and if any of them were objected to by
the company, he entreated that the objection
might be stated forthwith, that a precedent
might be established on this the first darof
the sale, which would regulate their pro-
ceedings in the ensuing weeks.—The first lot
was then put up, being the Life of the ltev.
Alexander Geddes, which brought 12 shillings.
—The second was The Life of George
V$ hie!' fetched (is. In fact, the highest lot in
this day's sale did not reach to more than eleven
pounds. 'None of the works very interesting to
either the scholar or the antiquary being in this
day's division of the sale. Some few books, which
contained notes in the hand-writing of Mr. Beck-
ford, fetched more than others, but the books
were in general of an ordinary description ; the
highest among them, in point of price, being the
Annual Register. They had all, however, the
advantage of a binding, which, in stile and work-
manship, was expensive and admirable. In look-
ing over the Library, previously to the sale, we ob-
served one work which, on account of the notes
affixed in the autography of Mr. l3eckford in
pencil, we cannot help noticing here, although it
was not in the sale of this day. The work is---
is Life of 'the lute Charles Jas. Fox,"
and those leaves which were once the blank
leaves in the front of the work, have the following
notes written very legibly in pencil by the late
proprietor of Fonthill. Some of them are indeed
merely reference to the contents of the volume,
but others shew the sort of estimation in which
that Gentleman held the character of Mr. Fox.

PREFACE 5. That unconquerable propensity to gaming—
that disregard of character for which this distinguished Senator
and Statesman was notoriona.
Preface IL Fow men possessing such talents and attainments
have written less than 11.1 r. Fox.
Page 8. True portrait of Lord Holland, sketched by Horn
Tooke.
13. Charles boasted that from his earliest infancy he never
failed to do what he had a mind.
24. Beau Fox—See Vignette.
28. His unpopular conduct at the commencement of his ors-
torical career,. resented by the mob.
Calls Alderman ()liver an assassin ; compelled by the Alder-
man to retract his words.
Moves (in 17.72) for the repeal of the Act which restrains the
marriage of the Royal Family ; this, it was observed, came
with singular grace and propriety from Mr. Fox, whose father
was married at the Fleet ; quarrels with Lord North for hay.
ing hinted that his orations were in souse cases too figurative;
said to have declared that he considered advice an insult offered
to his understanding.
36. Prepares himself for the famous debate on the 39 Ar-
ticks, by passing the whole night at the gaming table.
25. Donuts the people.
39. A string of bon toots which by no means prove, as the
author asserts', any
.pecilliar readiness of repartee or shrewd-
ness of observation.
47. His animation at a horse-race.
49. his shabby behaviour to Mrs. Crewe.
59. • llis taciturnity at the Literary Club in. Johnson's
,presence.
110. A dip in the Devil's punch-howl on the top of a moun-
tain near Killarney, which nearly cost him his life.
HO. It was unanimously agreed by the Whib.vs (of 1782) in
full divan, that the Duke of Portland would- make an ex-
sellent Dian of snow for a Prime Minister under their auspices.
The tories of 1907 find him just as convenient.
86. Coalition with Lord North, with the man with whom he
had been in the habit for eight successive years efloading with
the aimed,urious opithets, and whose blood, he hail frequently
exclought to expiate the 'calamities he baa brought
upon his country.
iii. Striking illustration of the liberality of his mind.
115. quite at home in the Irish House of Commons.
119. 1 isits Gibbon at Lausanne, whose account of this inter.
perfectly correct ; he says the people gazed
view appears not
on hint as a prodigy;" but the truth is, ;hat in this tour, in
which he was accompanied by Mr. Armsted, they were totally
neglected by toe people of any consideration.
126. Sante of Burke 's sallies of a serious kind.
1611. Loyal toasts.
169. Testimony in favour of Arthur O'Connor.
171. Discovered that Gibbon quoted many books as audio.
. city of which he had only read the preface ;--disliked this

anthor's florid verbosity, but highly approved his historic con..
centration. _

173. Eagerness for novel reading.
176. His most sovereign contempt for the abilities of Mr.
Addington :—Let him be King of Rath ((said he), if he has in-
terest enough at ,the Rooms to secure the appointment, and
Must have supreme authority.
.10:1., His strong French bias :—Borke asserted that the French
Revolution had not only shaken all Europe, but Fox's heart
into the wrong place.
234. Not a few glaring inconsistencies pointed outi---iie who
in 1805 called for condign punishment on Lord Melville, in
1806 threw every ituti2dlrnent in the way of the investigation
of the 3larquiss Wellehley's conduct. lie who exerted all his
facuties in condemning the income tax imposed by Mr. Pitt,
became the advocate of the abrupt increase of that tax from
6 to -10 per cent., apd. was not ashamfd to declare, that its
operation was to be arrested only when it occasioned a want of
the necessaries of life.
242. Ills belief in the immortality of the soul.
261. Ne neglected correct diction, and attention only to his
matter was only betrayed into solecisms of language and viola-
Lions of grammatical accuracy.—The sale continues to-morrow.