The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-24
Copyright. 1909. by Julius Muller
 All riehfs rnearNed

remembers Rockford now and who reads ''Yathek?9 The curious, scholars liter ary men, people who want 10 be well in- formed"-and there are enough of these so that every year or so a new edition of the tale is put through the press. Va thek still has it's readers and admirers though forgotten by the general public.
 The story was originally written in French, and the French text of 1t Is still pointed to as q model of the classic use of that language. French versions are HOW comparatively rare, but English yer oions are plentiful. Beekford wrote "Na- thek' at one sitting of three days and two nights, during which he took no sleep and his only food was a little wine When he had written the last word lie went to bed and was dangerously ill for several weeks as result Beekford's wonderful estate of Fonthill Abbey al- most equaled in luxury the palace which he imagined for .'Nathek, and in de seribing the great hai Of Ehlis he $ said To have copied from the great hail of Fonthill. He also had palace at Cntra. Portugal, which Byron descrihes in "Chlde Harold paradise. His great wealth came from the ownership uf slaves and plantations in Jamaica, and he lived to be S5 years old in spite of his wealth and his luxury.
 A
 prince who did not at all agree \ with his ancestor Omar that 1t was necessary to make hell out of this world in order to enjoy Paradise in the next. He built him a palace on the Hill of the Pied Horses at the capital of samarah, which exceeded in luxury any thing attempted by his prececessors.
 There were five great wings to the palace, each designed for the qualification of one of the senses and called by an appropriate name. In the wing called 'The Insulating Banquet" tables were continually covered with the most delicious viands, while rare wines and exquisite cordials flowed from fountains which were never exhausted. The second pavilion was called "The Temple of Melody" aud was inhabited by the most skilled musicians and the most admired poets of the time who not only displayed their talents with in doors, but dispensing in groups, wan dered about the delightful gardens, caus- ing the enchanting scene to reverberate with songs in charming succession.
 In the wing called '"rhe Delight of the Eye were works of art and eurios of the utmost rareness from many distant lands, while in the wing called "rhe Pal ace of Perfumes" each marble hall had burning in censers of gold some particu- lar perfume. Flambeaux and aromatic lamps were there, lighted in open day, but the too powerful effects of this de- lirium of ravishing odors might be ayoid- ed by descending into the adjoining gar dens, where an assemblage of every fra grant flower diffused through the air the purest perfumes. The fifth wing, which was called "The Retreat of Joy,' "The Dangerous" was filled with odalisques- troops of young females all beautiful as hours, who reclined on magnificent couches, where they were famed by slaves with plumes of marabou feathers or danced to the sound of the lute and tambour in a riot of bewitching and graceful motion.
 But as Vathek made no wars and mere ly taxed his people to the verge of star, vation to provide money for his luxuries he was a rather popular ruler It is true he had one fault which at first some what injured his popularity; when he was angry his eyes assumed such ter rible expression that any one meeting their full gaze just tumbled over and expired. But realizing that if he became angry very often he would depopulate his kingdom and have no subjects to tax, he put a bride upon his temper and very seldom allowed his devastating look of anger to fall upon the public. The Ca liph in his youth had acquired much knowledge, but he was far from being satisfied. and desired to know everything even sciences that did not exist. He was fond of dsputing with the learned, and slways came off best in the argument. for those whose mouths he was not able 10 cloae with presents he sent to prison.
 yatheks mother. the Princess Carathis, encouraged her son in his attempts to master the occult sciences She had de- voted much of her life to the study and practice Of the black art and was hand and glove with afrts genii. dives. giaours, ghouls, etc. while astrology and ordinary, everyday necromancy were play to her In these days the old lady would have ranked high in certain soce- ties for the promotion of the occult. But living In a barbarous age Carathis not exactly popular in the society of the day. Inspired by his mother Vathek con- ceived the idea of building a tower so high that he might penetrate the secrets of the heavens. The tower was finished and when Vathek ascended for the first time the il 900 steps which led to the summit and cast his eyes below, behold ing men not bigger than ants and cities like beehves, his pride was at it's pitch. But turning his eyes up to the heavens he saw the stars as far off as ever. However, he was consoled by refecting that to the people below him he must seem very near heaven, and he flattered himself that the power of his mind would extend beyond the range of his sight and transfer to the stars the deerees of his destiny. Vathek spent most of his nights in the tower and, soon becoming an adept In astroogy, fancied that the stars fore told to him that he would have a series of the most extraordinary adventures which were to come to him through a stranger travellng from a country en- iirey unknown.
 The inQuisitiye Prince had always been most attentive to strangers and now he fedoubled his exertions to have travellers brought to his court. There was brought 10 vathelk one day a traveller so hideous