The Washington herald., 1913-03-02

fact. had no desire 10 exceed her addi-
ton of Ten more seafighters.
I What Is there so ''perplcxing" In the
new German Empire that the author
fails to comprehend? And having given
voice to this ''perplexity." he concludes
that we owe to German thought and
thinkers the evolutionary method in his
torical study. the emphasis OF economic
| factors, the searching after facts. DC,
to the German "volksgeist"- (the spirit
of the people,. .s
No wonder that Q author, after de-
| livering himself Of all this attempt at
muckraking, and in order to make peace
with his own conscience. In conclusion
exclaims: honi Soft Quo Mafy pense!
Indeed, 80 ~
THE EPIs0DEs Of, vATHEK: By William
Beckford. lntroslnction by L. Melville. Trans
lated by Sir Frank T. MarIial. Philadelphia
J. Is. IApIancor company.
William Beckford did not exhaust his
information regarding his Oriental hero
with the completion Of ''Vathek' in 17s2
at the age Of twenty-five. According to
Byron for correctness Of costume, beauty
of description and power of imagination u
this Eastern and sublime tale surpasSes
all imitation, but the writer himself was
not satisfied that it was complete and
wcrte additions to 1t, that singularly
enough remained in manuscript for many
years 49,
1t appears that while Louis Melville
was collecting his material for THE Life
and Letters Of William Beckford Of Font
hnl," he found two large chests at Ham,
ton Palace. not merely important bio
graphical matter, but also a number OF
bundles of manuscripts that proved to
be a series OF episodes in the life Of
Vethek thai were not included In the
original story. Two Of them were then
printed in the English Review. but thay
now appear for the first time in bonk
form.
In the introduction to the volume con-
tanning these three tales. which are en-
titled The Story OF Prince Alasi and
the Princess Firouxkah," The Story of
Prince Barkiaoh," and THE Story OF
the Princess Lulkais and the Prince Ka-
lilah." Mr.. Melville traces the story OF
the writing and publication of the orig
inal 'Vathek' and of these later cpl
sodes
As a boy Beckford had become STEPPED
in Oriental lore. and his companionship
with the Rev. Samuel Henley. assistant
master at Harlow. and an enthusiastic
student of Arabian and Persian liter
ature fostered this passion in him. When
Vathek first appeared in England a prefa-
ed its translation from the Arabic. Beck
was naturally incensed at this misstate-
ment, and with no further delay than
was necessary he brought out the first
French addition at Lausanne early In
I7s1 and the second addition followed
at Paris later in the year In 1915. in
his preface to the French text OF the
story that then appeared in London.
Beckford made the first public announce
ment that there were further episodes
In the life OF Vathek yet to come He
hinted that they might appear in a year
or so. but they remained imprinted during
his lifetime and for many years after
his death. even the public interest over
Beckford's strange manner OF existence
at Fonthill might readily have embold-
ened any publisher to undertake them.
After his death the manuscript OF the
episodes came into the possession OF the
Duchess of Hamilton. who deposited them
in the Charter Room OF Hamilton Palace.
whence they were rescued by Mr.. Mel
will after an undisturbed obscurity OF
sixty-five years II is as a curiosity
alone that these belated Episodes may
be received and read. Mr.. Melville has
done good service in resurtecting them.
and especially in giving both the original
and a translated English text