![[BECKFORD, William Thomas (1760-1844)]. [Vathek]. An Arabian Tale from an unpublished manuscript. [Translated by Samuel Henley (1740-1815).] London: J. Johnson, 1786.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2001/NYR/2001_NYR_09878_0138_000(033321).jpg?w=1)
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[BECKFORD, William Thomas (1760-1844)]. [Vathek]. An Arabian Tale from an unpublished manuscript. [Translated by Samuel Henley (1740-1815).] London: J. Johnson, 1786.
8o (199 x 113 mm). Woodcuts of ostrich and peacock-feather fans on X6v. (Some light browning and spotting, without final blank.) Contemporary crimson morocco, sides with central gilt arabesque and corner-pieces enclosed by roll-tool and gilt fillet border, gilt board edges and turn-ins (rebacked in morocco gilt, a few chips), edges gilt with FORE-EDGE PAINTING OF FONTHILL HOUSE. Provenance: purchased from Ravenstree Company, Pasadena, California, 4 September 1969.
FIRST EDITION. Although often classified as an early Gothic novel, Vathek is more truly an oriental tale, describing the experience and rewards of succumbing to temptation, and closely reflecting the "foolish, fantastic, egotistical life" of the author who began writing the story in French in January, 1782. Despite the fact that Henley's translation, and the elaborate notes which he provided for the book, were undertaken with Beckford's approval, its publication was against the author's wishes and completely unauthorized. Beckford had clearly intended to bring out the French edition first, but his wife had died in Switzerland on 18 May 1786, and though the book was published by Joseph Johnson on 7 June, he was still unaware of its existence by late August. Copies were priced at 4 shillings or 7s. 6d. on large paper, and have the running title of "The History of the Caliph Vathek." Even though Beckford published French editions in Lausanne (December, 1786, dated 1787) and Paris (1787), the novel only became well known some thirty years later when Byron declared it to be his Bible.
The fore-edge painting on this copy shows a panoramic view of Fonthill House from across the park, with cattle, sheep and a pair of pastoral figures resting by the lake. Fonthill House, built in 1755, the family seat of Beckford's father, Alderman William Beckford (1709-1770), twice Lord Mayor of London, was also known as "Fonthill Splendens" because of its extraordinary opulence. The painting seems particularly appropriate since Vathek had its genesis at a Christmas Party, given at Fonthill in 1781, and attended by Beckford (Vathek), his young cousin William Courtenay (Firouz-Firouzkah, the princess disguised as a boy) and Louisa Beckford (Zulkais and Nouronihar, both of whom would risk damnation for their man). Beckford began the construction of Fonthill Abbey, a Gothic "summer house" about a mile away from his father's Palladian mansion, in 1796. Chapman and Hodgkin 3A(i); Rothschild 352.
8o (199 x 113 mm). Woodcuts of ostrich and peacock-feather fans on X6v. (Some light browning and spotting, without final blank.) Contemporary crimson morocco, sides with central gilt arabesque and corner-pieces enclosed by roll-tool and gilt fillet border, gilt board edges and turn-ins (rebacked in morocco gilt, a few chips), edges gilt with FORE-EDGE PAINTING OF FONTHILL HOUSE. Provenance: purchased from Ravenstree Company, Pasadena, California, 4 September 1969.
FIRST EDITION. Although often classified as an early Gothic novel, Vathek is more truly an oriental tale, describing the experience and rewards of succumbing to temptation, and closely reflecting the "foolish, fantastic, egotistical life" of the author who began writing the story in French in January, 1782. Despite the fact that Henley's translation, and the elaborate notes which he provided for the book, were undertaken with Beckford's approval, its publication was against the author's wishes and completely unauthorized. Beckford had clearly intended to bring out the French edition first, but his wife had died in Switzerland on 18 May 1786, and though the book was published by Joseph Johnson on 7 June, he was still unaware of its existence by late August. Copies were priced at 4 shillings or 7s. 6d. on large paper, and have the running title of "The History of the Caliph Vathek." Even though Beckford published French editions in Lausanne (December, 1786, dated 1787) and Paris (1787), the novel only became well known some thirty years later when Byron declared it to be his Bible.
The fore-edge painting on this copy shows a panoramic view of Fonthill House from across the park, with cattle, sheep and a pair of pastoral figures resting by the lake. Fonthill House, built in 1755, the family seat of Beckford's father, Alderman William Beckford (1709-1770), twice Lord Mayor of London, was also known as "Fonthill Splendens" because of its extraordinary opulence. The painting seems particularly appropriate since Vathek had its genesis at a Christmas Party, given at Fonthill in 1781, and attended by Beckford (Vathek), his young cousin William Courtenay (Firouz-Firouzkah, the princess disguised as a boy) and Louisa Beckford (Zulkais and Nouronihar, both of whom would risk damnation for their man). Beckford began the construction of Fonthill Abbey, a Gothic "summer house" about a mile away from his father's Palladian mansion, in 1796. Chapman and Hodgkin 3A(i); Rothschild 352.