Year: 1859

known in English art. Fonthil Abbey, once
one of the wonders of the West of Eng
land, was the result of this determination.
Whole galleries of that vast pile were
erected, solely for the purpose Of enabling


Beckford to emblazon on their windows
the crcsts of the families from whom he
bousted his decent, The wonder of the
fabric, however, was a tower of colossal
dimensions and great height, erected some-
what in the manner and spirit of those
who once reared similar structure on
the plains Of Shinar: go let us build
tower, whose top may reach unto heaven;
and let us make as name."


To complete the erection Of Beckford's
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 en-
joyment was watching the erection of this
structure. At night fall he 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. md the re-
Election Of their glare on the surrounding
wood. The building was indeed Beck
ford's idol--the object for which he lived.
He 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, the mortar and cement used had
no time to set properly, ere 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 mass of materials, he gave or.
ders for the erection of another tower of
276 feet in height; this also fell to the
ground in 1885.


After the completion of the abbey,
Beckferd's conduct was still more extra.
ordinary. A wall nearly two miles in
circumference, surrounded his mansion,
and within this circle scarcely any visitors
we're allowed to pass. In sullen grandeur
he dwelt alone, stunning converse with
the whole world. Majesty itself was de-
srous Of visiting this wonderful domain,
but was refused admittance. Strangers
would disguise themselves as servants, as
peasants. or as pedlers, in the hope of
catching glimpse of its glories. Nor
was its interior 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 so numerous 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 of
some oriental prince, whose riches consist
entirely in vessels of gold and silver, en-.
riched 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
annum, he seemed above the reach of ad-
verse fortune. Who would have ventured
to have styled all this splendor evanescent
as the mirage2 A sudden depreciation
of West India property took place. Some
law suits terminated unfavorably, embar.
rassments poured in like a food on the
princely owner. The gates which had re.
fused admittanee to monarch we're rude.
ly thrust open by sheriffs officer. The
mansion erected at so vast an expense, was
sold. The greater part of its costly treas.
ures were scattered by the hammer of the
auctioneer; and Beckford driven, with the
shattered fragments of his fortune, to spend
a solitary old age in watering place
there to moralize on the instability of wealth
there to feel how little pleasure the re-
Prospect of neglected talents can give, and
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 Fonthil Alb
hey was pulled down by its new owner,
Thus melted away, like frostwork before
the sun, the extravagant production OF
man of wealth. His whole life had been
sad misapplication of the talent commit
ted to his care, and in the end he discoy-
cred that he had been cheated by the
mirage.


Though BeckfOrd's princely lavishness
caused him to be talked about all over the
world, his true claim to remembrance rests