Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-06-02
Freaks of a Millionaire.

William Beckford ore of the most remarku-
ble men of modern times, was the only son of
Alderman Beckford, of London, who died
when his son was only ten years of age, be
| oueathing him West India and other property
which yielded an annual income equal to half
million dollars. Young Beckford's ment al
powers were good and no pains were spared in
! cultivating them by refined education Sir
| William Chambers instructed him in architec-
ture, while the great Mozart instructed him in
music At twenty-one, with the income Of a
prince, and accumulations in ready money to
| the amount of about a million sterling Give
million dollars, he launched upon the wide
world. The great talent for promoting human
| happiness was placed within his reach but he
| threw the golden opportunity away. Proud
and naughty, the youthful Beckford withdrew
from the active business of life, and retiring to
! Portugal. there devoted himself to life of
| luxurious ease The first outlay of his wealth
| there, was the erection of ID gorgeous palace
| During his residence in Portugal be visited,
under royal sanction, some of the wealthy and
| uxuriant mouastercs of that country. 1t is
difficult to convey an idea of the pomp and
splendor of this journey, which resembled more
| the calvacade of an eastern prince than the
tour of private individual.
"Everything," he himself says, that could
be thought or dreamed of, Tor our convenience
or relaxation, was carried in our tran--no-
thing was left behind but care and sorrow"
"Tbe ceiling Of my apartment III the monas-
terry" he adds, was giIded and painted the
floor was spread with Persian carpets of the
finest texture the tables decked with superb
| ewers and basins, of chased silver"
| The kitchen in which the dinner was pre-
| pared is thus described.
a stream of water flowed through it, from
which were formed reservoirs containing every
kind of river fish. On one side were heaped
up loads of game and reniSon; on the other
side were vegetables and fruit in endless va
riety. Beyond q long line Of stores, extended
a row OF ovens. and close to them hiilocks of
wheaton -four finer than snow, blocks of sugar,
and jars of the purest oil, AID pastry in various
abundance
The dinner which followed the preparations
was served in magnificent saloon, covered
with pictures and lighted up with profusion
of wax tapers in sconces of silver The ban
uuet," he adds, CONSISTED of rarities and deli
cacies of every season from distant countries" :"
! Confectionery and fruits awaited the party in
q room still more sumptuous, where vessels OF
| Goa fIigree containing the purest and most
| fragrant spices, were handed round. Such was
| Beckford's mode Of life during this day.
Returning at the commencement OF the pre-
sent century, to his native country, Becktord
again abandoned himself TO the selfish enjoy
ment Of bis wealth Taking capricious dis
! like 10 splendid mansion on his estate, which
had been erected by his father at a cost Of
| 81 400 000 he ordered it to be pulled down.
| He resolved that, phoenix like, there should
arise from its ruins a building which should
surpass in magnifcence all that hitherto had
| been known in English art Fontfill Abbey,
| once one of the wonders Of the west Of Eng
! land, was the result of this determination
| Whole galleries Of the vast pile were erected,
solely for the purpose of enabling Becktord to
embiazon on their windows the crests of the
! families from whom be boasted bis descent
! The wonder of the fabric, however, was tow
| er of colossal dimensions and great height,
erected somewhat in the manner and spirit of
| those who once reared similar structure on
! the plains of Shimar: go to, let us Uuiid q
tower, whose top may reach unto heaven ; and
| let Us make US q name"
To complete the erection of Becktord's tow
er, 400 men were employed both night and day
! through an entire winter, the torches used ny
the nocturnal workmen being visible to the as
| tonished travellers at miles distant Beckford's
! principal enjoyment was watching the erection
of this structure. At nightfall he would re-
pair to some elevated part Of his grounds, and
| there in solitude would feast his senses for
! hours with the singular spectacle presented by
! the dancing of the lights. and the reflection Of
| their glare on the surrounding woods. The
! building was indeed Beckford's idol-the ob.
! iect for which he lived. He devoted the whole
| of his energies to make it realize the most fas-
| cinating visions of vain Imagination. The
tower was finally erected, but as might have
been expected. the mortar and cement used
had no time to set properly ere a violent gale
of wind brought the vast structure to the
ground Merely remarking that he should
| have been glad to witness the sublime fall Of
! such o mass Of materials, he gave orders for
the erection of another tower Of 26T feet in
! height this also fell to the ground in 1885
t After the completion Beckford'S conduct
was still more extraordinary \ wall nearly
two miles in circumference surrounded his mat
sion and within this circle scarcely any visitors
were allowed to pass In sullen grandeur he
dwet alone, stunning converse with the whole
world. Majesty itself was desirous of visiting
this wonderful domain, but was refused admit
tance. Strangers wonld disguise themselves
as servants, as peasants, or as pedlers, in the
hope of catching a glimpse Of its gIories. Nor
was its interior unworthy Of this curiosity. All
that art and wealth could give, to produce cf-
feet, was there "Gold and silver vases and
cups" says one who saw the place, "are so nu'
merous here that they dazzle the eye ; and
when one looks round at the cabinets, candea
bras, and ornaments which decorate the room,
we may almost imagine that VIC stand in the
treasury of some oriental prince, whose rchSss
consist entirely in vessels of gold an9 ssart Sort from
!, 1 n;o obon x,i&b CT nR