New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-16

was brought to light by Mr.. Melville
when he was working upon his biog-
rsphy Of Beckford, published not long
ago. At that time he was permitted 10
examine certain chests of papers at
Hamilton Palace, and among these doc
uments he found, in manuscript, the
Episodes written for "Vathek" which
were supposed to have been lost. They
were in French. The Duke Of Hamil-
ton authorized their translation and
publication, Sir Frank T. Marzials put
theD into English, and we now have
them in a handsomely printed book, at
the back of which the French originals
are given. This makes an odd and in
teresting addition to that store Of
Beckfordiana which the connolsseur Of
letters will always regard with special
sympathy.
Beckford touches the imagination be-
cause there was in him something Of
the artist He might be not merely
eccentric. but veritably bizarre; he
not be dull. He cared for the things
Of the mind. He cared for beauty. II
he was not a great man he possessed,
at all events, streak Of genius, and
for that reason, II for no other. criti-
cism will always have a weakness for
him. Mr.. Melville, in his introduction
70 this volume, draws upon his authors
correspondence to show once more the
contrast between Beckford's actual
labors over "Vathek' and the legend
that he wrote the tale in three days
and two nights. He may have thus
improvised the body Of the work, but
having once fixed upon scheme ne
developed It's details with an extraor-
binary solicitude for what he conceived
to be artistic perfection. Il confess
myself q friend to DETERMINATIONS in
clergyman to whom he had intrusted
his fable for translation, and II is plain
that he was tireless with the file. 1t
was not merely his diction, either, that
gave him trouble His was the ambi-
ton OF the creative artist. and though
It seems strange TO consider the author
of 1'Vathek" as an amateur OF char
acter he had, as matter OF fact q
strong desire to strike just balance
BETWEEN his people and their actions.
Il have always thought Nouronihar too
severely punished" he says. "and II
knew how conveniently. would add a
crime or two TO her share Verisim-
ilitude worried him nightly.
In the composition OF these new Epi-
sodes he we'll harmonized the subsidi-
airy fabrics OF his imagination with the
main structure of 'Vathek." They are
In the same rich. fantastic vein. full OF
color, full OF Oriental glamour. Are
they, taken by themselves. full OF in
tersst7 There the answer may not be
so confident. The first Of the Episodes.
and the best Of them, THE Story OF
Prince Alasi," is firmly knit, and de-
yelops q fairly effective succession OF
incidents. The hero's slow but sure de-
scent into ever darker depths OF eVlI
sxcites some curiosity, though 1t is not
precisely thrilling. AS in the "Vathek"
that we know, Beckford loves TO make
our flesh creep with incredible horrors.
you must" says the Mage to the
Prince, cause the religion Of Zoroaster
TO be received in your dominions. raze
the Mosques to the ground, erect Halls
of Fire in their stead, and, finally. sac
rifice without pity all whom you can
not convert to the true faith" In
the sequel We wallow in earthquake
and eclipse. Yet the experience IS
more piquant than impressive. Perhaps
one would have to take up "Vathek'
again and read these Episodes with 1t
IN order to get from the latter their
fullest effect OF. exotic mystery. AS 1t
H. one reads the new pages without