Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1844-07-04
TIE Late william Rockford.

of Mr. BEcKFoRD, author of Fathek &c. in
the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser of Tuesday
evening. l,s the production Of polished and
eloquen, pen
Among the items of English news brought
by the Caledonia was the announcement of the
death OF Mr. BEcKFoRD, author Of Caiiph Va
thek' The richest gifts of fortune and talent
were lavished upon him in the mos, prodigal
profusion, as if TO show that even these, desi-
rable and almost enviable as many will deem
them, are insufficient alone to make the pos
SCISSOR happy His life, though not eyeniful,
was strange one. On attaining his majority
nearly seventy years ago, he came into the en-
joyment of colossal fortune, his yearly income
being, sbou, half million of dollars. His con-
necllons and associates were among The hoblest
of his land His person was good, and his lal-
ents, which were OF the first order, were cult.
vaied TO the highest degree. His taste was
exquisite, he was devold of ambition, and as he
had almost unlimited means of lndulging every
fancy lla, whim or caprice could dictate, life
seemed to promise bu, one unroubled scene of
happiness bu, we believe few men except
those suffering from actual penury ever expert
enced less.
The curse of safety was upon him in his
early years, and never deserted him TO the close.
Of his long fe In his comparative youth he
wrote and published Caliph Fatheh' 1t was
written in the pures, French, and gave evidence
of powers that, if cultivated and exercised,
might have won for the author place among
the most distinguished writer's of an age re-
nowned for lis intellectual achievements. But,
like Solomon of old, Mr.. BEcKFoRD seemed TO
think all was vanity, and apparently disdainins
d distinction he had shown he could easily
win, suffered his pen To lie idle for more than
quarter of a century. Some twelve or fourteen
years ago he published his journal Of travels in
Portugal. Spain. aud Italy. made nearly fifty
years before when the ancien regime was as yet
undis,urbed by the rude shock of the French
Revolution, when noble, priest and king fell as
if they were not made of the same clay with
the common people. Mr.. BEcKFoRD travelled
en- prince. His wealth and aristocratlc associ.
atoms gave him the entree 10 the highest and
most exclusive circles. and his journal and de-
scrplons of the world as it was before the in-
fuence of revolutionary ideas had been felt,
constitute one of the most striking books Of lrav-
el of our day
Ii was while on this tour he visited Cintra in
Portugal, and was much pleased with lis
beauty that he bulli magnificent residence
there TO which BYRON makes alluson in Childe
HoroM Tired a, last OF living in solitary gran
deur IN This luxurlani retirement he returned Ia
England, bu, the egolism and safely which af-
fiicied him did moi permit The enjoymen,s of
society, aud he undertook again TO crafty his
taste for art and solitary life by The erection of
Fonhill Abbey. This work was pressed with
all the zeal that unlimited means could COM
mand. Gangs OF Gaany hundred workmen were
employed upon ii night and day for months,
ard a, last the stately pile was completed, a
miracle Of architectural beauty The spacious
and lovely domain in whlch 1t was placed was
enclosed by high and close wall forbiddins
The imperInen, intrusion Of eyes and fee--and
here. surrounded by all the Injuries that mex
haus,ble wealth, directed Sy the most refined
and delicate taste, could command, Mr.. BECK
FOR lor MANY years led a solitary, incident
and unhappy life.
| None choice select few, were admit
ted 10 his luxurianr retirement and many sto
RES, we have not now time TO relate, are told
of the adventures of those whose curiosity in.
duced them 10 scale the walls which shut ou,
the world. Al last the gorgeous magnifcence
of this abode paled The gates were thrown
open for inspection, and The place offered
for sale. Descriptive volumes were written
concerning II, The papers not only of England.
but of Europe and America. vie with each other
/ in theii account of It's wonders, and thousands
/ from the mos, remote parts of Europe, and even
from this country, went 10 England 10 scan with
eager, curious eye, place of which they had
heard so much. il was bought, we believe, for
something like Two millions of dollars by Mr.
| FARouHAR. ScoIchman who had gone 10 In
dla poor boy and reruraed loaded with " eallh
and burned up liver.
| Mr.. BEcKFoRD then went 10 Bath, where,
faithful TO his principle Of seclusion, he took
Two houses on opposite sides Of street, which
ne connected by curved arch or bridge like
The Rlallo over the Grand Canal Of Venice, he
occupying one of the houses fitted up in style
OF gorgeous luxury and his servants ihe olher
l hus he lived aud died in his S4ih year, un-
happy with all his wealth and talents, for he
had no steady defined purpose in hfe, and with
all his luxury knew no. The luxury of doing