The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-09-01
Tho dinner which followed these nren-

loon, covered with pictures and lighted up
with !, prOfusion of wax tapsrs in sconcias
of silver.
"The banquet" he adds, "consisted of
varieties and delicacies of every season
from different countries"
Confectionery and fruit awaited the
party in a room still more sumptuous,
where vessels of Coaglligree, containing
the rarest and most fragrant species, were
handed around. Such wss Bedford
mode of life during this journey. Return
ing at the commencement of the present
century to his native country, Rockford
again abandoned himself to the selfish en-
joyment of his wealth. Taking capricous
dislike to splendid mansion on his estate,
which had been erected by his father at
cost Of S1,400,000, he ordered it to be
pulled down. He resolved that Phoenix
like, there should arise from its ruins,
building which should surpass all that
had hitherto been known in English art.
Fonthill Abbey, once one of the wonders
of the west of England, was the result of
of this determination. Whole galleries
of that vast pile were erected, solely for
the purpose of enabling Beckford to en-
blazon on their windows the crests of the
families from whom he boasted his de-
scent. The wonder of the fabric, however
was tower of colossal dimensions and
great height, erected in the manner and
spirit of those who once raised a similar
structure on the plains of Shinar: "Go
to, let US build tower whose top shall
reach unto heaven and let us make
name"
To complete the erection of Beckford's
tower, four hundred and sixty men were
employed both night and day during the
entire winter, the torches used by the noe
turnal workmeu being visible to the aston
ished traveller at miles distant. Beck
ford's principal enjoyment was in watch
ing the erection Of this structure. At
midnight he would repair to some eleva-
ted part of his grounds, and there in soil
tude would feast his senses for hours with
the singular spectacle presented by the
dancing of the lights, and the reflection
of their glare In the surrounding wood
The building was indeed Beckford's idol
tho object for which he lived. He de-
voted the whole of his energies to make
it realize the most fascinating visions of a
vain imagination. The tower was finally
erected, but, as mi ght have been expect
ed, the mortar and cement had not time
to set properly, ere violent gale of wind
brought the vast structure to the ground.
Merely remarking that he should have
been glad 70 witness the fall of such
mass OF materials, he gave orders for the
erection of another tower two hundred and
seventy'six feet in height; this also fell
to the ground in 1885.
After the completion of the Abbey,
Beckford's conduct was still more extra
ordinary. A wal! nearly two miles in
circumference surrounded his mansion,
and within this wall scarcely any visitors
were allowed to pass. In sullen grandeur
he dwelt alone, stunning converse with
the whole world. Majesty itself was de-.
sirous of visiting this wonderful domain,
but was refused admittance. Strangers
would disguise themselves as servants, as
peasants, or as peddlers, in the hope of
catching glimpse at its glories. Nor
was its interior unworthy of the curiosity
All that art and wealth could give to pro-
duce effect was there. "Gold and silver
vases and cups" says one who saw the
place, "are so numerous here that they
dazzle the eye; and when one looks
around him at the cabinets, candelabras
and ornaments which decorate the room,
we may almost imagine that we stand in
the treasury of some oriental prince, whose
riches consist entirely in vases of gold and
silver, enriched with precious stones of
every sort, from the ruby to the diamond"
Such was Beckford at Fonthill. With
an income Of more than 100000 per an
mum, he seemed above the reach of ad-
verse fortune. Who would have ventured
to style all this prosperity as evanescent
as the mirage. A sudden depreciation of
West India property took place. Some
lawsuits terminated unfavorably, embar-
easements poured in like flood on the
princely owner. The gates which had re.
fused admittance to monarch were rudely
thrust open by shoriff's officer. The
mansion erected at SO vast an expense was
sold. The greatest part of its costly
treasures were scattered by the hammer
of the autioneer; and Beckford driven,
with the shattered fragments of his for
tune, to spend solitary old age in
watering place; there to moralize on the
instability of wealth there to feel how
little pleasure the retrospect of neglected
talents can give; to point the oft-told
moral of the vanity of human affairs.
He fell, it is said, unpitied by any
The tower which he had erected at so great
a cost, fell to the ground, and Fonthill
Abbey was pulled down by its new owner.
Thus melted away, like frostwork before
the sun, the extravagant productions of a
man of wealth. His whole life had been
a sad mlsapplication of the talents CON-
mitted to his care, and in the end he dis
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