Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-01-11
stranseFreak. ola millionaire,


cation. Sir VIM. Chambers instructed him in
architecture, while the great Mozart taught
! him music. At twenty-One. with the income
| Of a prince. and aecumulatiOns in ready
! money to the amount of about a million
sterling five million dollars,) he launched
npOn the world. The great talent promot-
ing 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 lite. and retiring tn Portugal, there devoted
himself to a life of luxurious ease. The first
outlay of his wealth there, was lin the cree
| ton Of gorgeous palace.
| During his residence in Portugal he visited,
! under the royal sanction. some Ofthe wealthy
! and luXuriant monasteries of that country.
1t is difficult to convey an idea of the pomp
| and splendor of this journey. which resem-
| hled more the cavalcade of an eastern prince
than the tOnr of private individual.
Everything" he himself says. ''that could
! he thought or dreamed offor our convenience
| or relaxation was carried in our train-nOth-
| ing was to be left behind hut care and sorrow.
The ceiling of my apartment in the mon
asterv" he adds, o was gilded and painted,
the floor spread with Persian carpets of the
finest texture; the tables decked with superb
ewers and basins of chas. 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 We're
heaDed up loads of game and venison; on the
other side were vegetables and fruits in end
less variety. Beyond long line of stores ex-
tended a row of ovens. and close to them bill
locks of wheaton -four. finer than snow, blocks
of sugar. jars OF the purest oil, and pastry IN
various abundance
Tho dinnar which fO IOyya6 fhaSa nrnDaro-
tiOns was served in a magnificent saloon,
covered with pictures, and lighted up with n
prOfusion of wax tapprs in scOnces of silver.
The banquet he adds, CONSISTED of rarities
and delicacies Of every season from distant
countries" Confectionery and fruits awaited
the party in a room still more sumptuous,
where vessels of Goa filagree. containing the
rarest and most fragrant spicei, were hand d
round. Such was BeckfOrd's mode of life
during this journey.
Returning, at the commencement of the
present century. to his native country, Beck
ford again abandoned himself to the selfish
endowment of his wealth. Taking q capricious
dislike to a splendid mansion on his estate.
which had been erected by his father at a
cost of s 100000, he ordered ii to be pulled
down. He resolved that. pheniX-like. there
should arise from its ruins a building which
should suIpass in magnifcence all that hith-
erto been known in English art. Fopt4ill
Abbey. once one of the wonders of the West
of England was the result of this determine
ton Whole galleries of that vast pile were
erected. solely for the purpose OF enabling
BecktOrd to emblaZon on their windows the
crests of the families from whom he boosted
his descent. The wonder of the fabric, how
ever was tower of colossal dimensions a I'd
great height. erected somewhat in the manner
and spirit of those who once reared similar
structure on the plains of Shinar: Go TO. let
us build us a tower whose top may reach unto
heaven; and let Us make us i name"
To complete the erection of Bedford IS
tower 400 men were employed both night
and day through an entire winter, the torches
used by the nocturnal workmen being visible
to the astonished travellers at miles distant.
Beckford's principal enjoyment was watching
the erection of this structure. AT night fall.
be would repair 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 surround
ing wood. The bnilding was indeed Beck
ford's idOl-the object for which he lived. lie
devoted the whole of his energies to make it
realize the most fascinating visions of vain
Imagination. The tower was finally erected
but as might have been expected. tina 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 "A mass of materials, he
gave orders for the r,cIion of another tower
of 276 feet in height; this also fell to the
ground in 1885.
After the completion of the abbey Beck
ford's conduct was still more extraordinary.
4 wall nearly two miles in circumference.
surrounded his mansion, and within this circle
scarcely any visitors were allowed to pass.
In sullen grandeur he dwelt alone. stunning
converse with the whole world. Majesty it,
self was DESTROYS of visiting this wonderful
domain. but was refused admittance. Strang-
ers would disguise themselves as servants, "a
peasants, or us peddlers, in the hope of catch
ing glimpse of its glories. Nor was its in
terror unworthy Of this curiosity. All that
art and wealth could give. to produce effect.
was there. Gold and silver vases and cups"
SAYS one who saw the place, ''are numer-
Gus here that they dazzle the eye; and when
one looks round at the cabinets candelabras
and ornaments, which decorate the room we
may almost imagine that we stand in the
treasury ofsome oriental prince, whose riches
consist entirely in vessels of gold and silver.
enriched with precious stones of every sort,
from the ruby to the diamond"
Such was Beckford. Of Fonthill With an
income of more than 100000 per annnum,
he seemed above the reach OF adverse fortune
Who would have ventured to have styled all
this splendor evanescent us the mirage!
sudden depreciation of West Indian property
took place. Some lawsuits terminated un-
tavorably. embarrassmcnts poured in like
flood on the prncply owner. The gates which
had refused admittance to monarch, were
rudely thrust open by sheriars officer. The
mansion erected at so vast an expense was
sold. The greater part its costly treasures
were scattered by the hammer OF the auc-
tioneer; aud Becktord driven with the shat
tered fragments of his fortune. TO spend
solitary old age in q waterng-plaee; there TO
moralize on the instability of wealth; there 10
feel how little pleasure the retrospect OF ne
elected talents can, give, and 10 point the OF
told moral Of the vanity of human atf,irs.
lie fell il is said, unpitied by any. The
tower which he had erected At so great a cost
fell 10 the ground, and Fonihill Abbey was
pulled down by its new owner. Thus melted
away, like frostwork before the sun. the ex-
travagant productions OF man OF wealth.
His whole life had been a sad miSapplicaton
of the talents committed to his care. and IN
the end be discovered that he bad been cheat
ed by the mirage.
Though Beckford's princely lavishness
caused him TO be talked about al over the
world. his true claim TO remembrance rests
upon his talents AN author, and his genius
as displ wed In the wild aud singular Oriental
tale oi ''Vathek, y which Il 80 splendid Ia des-
cription $40 true To Eastern costume, and 80
wild and VIVID in imagination, that Lord
Byron considered IL difiealt to credit that IL
was written bv a European. and said. '-Even
DIR. Johnson's Rasselas must bow before IL.
MIR. Beckford was the author OF numerous
other works He died in the year ls44, aged
"a YEAR, leaving two daughters, Que Of whom
il the prevent Duchess OF Hamilton His
vile was Lady Margaret Gordon, daughter OF
the Earl OF Aboyne.
Eo- ar. SEWARD presented the eons'itu-