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few minutes ^ as had just returned from early ride . He was then at breakfast , and if he knew that we were there from town , his breakfast would be sent away untouched . " Of course we did not wish to interrupt him . After waiting . a very short time , we were introduced to him , in the front parlour of his house in the Crescent . He had been sitting , but rose up instantly as we entered , rushing towards us , and holding out both his hands . " Well , my dear sir , " said he , " here you are at last . How delighted I am to meet you in my own territories ! Now you shall see with your own eyes whether all the stories I have , told you about Jjansdown , and which your unbelieving eyes have often betrayed to me you thought either fabulous or very highly coloured , are true or not . Come , what ' s 3 'ourfirst impression ?"
into the other , stuffed quite full of the choicest productions that ancient or moder n art could supply . The walls , except where the . books intervened , were covered with magnificent pictures and drawings . Tables of the rarest and choicest marbles were strewn about in positive profusion . In the first room , close" to the window , was placed , on a magnificent stand , a wonderfully-carved agate cup , the largest and finest known , which Mr . Beckford valued at many thousand pounds . Everything had its history , which he repeated in the often the he
most lively manner ; for , as was case , was in exuberantly buoyant spirits , and whenever a stool or a chair was in his way , gave himself no trouble to put it out of the way , but leaped over it . The chimneypiece of this room was extraordinary- It was formed of marble of a costly quality . Arches had been hollowed out in it , so as to introduce some el « gant antique vases of crystal and other materials . As may be supposed , several hourg soon slipped away in a mere cursory view of these curiosities ; and finding that the time for his afternoon ' s ride had arrived , I proposed taking leave of
him . . . " How long do you stay here ? " he asked . I replied that my engagements would compel me to leave early the next morning . He seemed irritated , and declared that he would not let me leave Bath until I had seen his tower . Not wishing to offend him , and being anxious to see what he had so often talked enthusiastically about , I agreed to stop another day , and informed him that we were staying at one of the hotels at Bath , and that a lady was with us , whom we should take the liberty of bringing " Then , " said he , "I will send my carriage for you at eleven torinorrow morning ; you shall drive up to the tower , look over it , and come back here , and tell me what you think of it ; the carriage is yours as long as you stay here . This I call merely a passing call—a real visit of some weeks you still owe me , and the sooner you get out of debt the better shall I be pleased . "
with much gence , we are bound to acknowledge that it is the best biography which exists of a man whose name and : authority on all matters connected with literature and art are destined to beheld in profound respect by remotest , posterity . To the author , pur thanks are therefore justly due for having preserved many fleeting memorials of this extraordinary man , who , scorning the world ' s aspersions , spurned it from him , living in an Art-world of his own , beloved and cherished by those who knew him , and whose death was sincerely mourned by the poor around , for he was liberal and kind to all who wore really in necessity and want . Though he gave large sums away in charity , he would never suffer his name to appear in printed lists of subscriptions , which he
called " advertising good deeds , which ought to be done in secret . " To such an extent did he carry his feeling , that , even if he sent relief , often to a considerable amount , to private persons , he enjoined the greatest secrecy , forbidding , at the same time , all acknowledgment of . the gift . His liber-ality to street beggars was well known , and the story of his throwing a handful of silver and gold into the hat of a poor cripple , with the words , " Indeed , t / ou are an object of chanty ! " is mentioned at page 29 S of the second volume . In town he never went out without a considerable sum in silver , loose in his pocket , all of which had first been Washed by his confidential servant , which he freely distributed to the poor as he rode along . His domestics . had all grown old in his service , and those who . l'ecollect his house in
Lansdowncresceut cannot fail to call to mind two in particular , Pcro the dwarf , his old porter at Fonthill , and Vincent the gardener , who had planted a great part of its grounds . He had the power of attaching persons to him in a far greater degree than most men , and very few have ever been more beloved by their . tenantry and servants , than- he was both at I ' onthill-and Bath . He died in his eightyfifth year , on the 2 nd of May , lSjU , the DuChebs of . Hamilton , who was present , closing his eyes . The world has s * tyled him an infidel , yet there arc many still living who know how kindly , in-the "hour of adversity , he ... would assist them , not only with money but advice , urging them to hope , and a dding , " Aid yourself if you can , but never mistrust Providence . "
We took leave , and the next morning we were driven up to the tower . The exterior of this building is too well known to require description . On our arrival , to my infinite surprise I found his- horses waiting at the , entrance . His confidential servant was also in attendance , and informed me that ' his Honour , ' as he invariably termed his master , was waiting at the top of the tower for me . I ran up , and lie met me as I reached the top ; catching hold of both my hands in-Jiis own , and shaking them heartily , he cried : " Welcome to Lansdown Tower I" as the old women say , " long-looked for , come at last ! I am delighted to see you up here . Look round ; does , this disappoint you ? Have I exaggerated ? ho ! I see at once you are pleased—you can ' t deceive me ! that ' s quite impossible !"
Unfortunately , the morning was rather hazy , and the prospect waa not so enchanting as in fine weather it must necessarily be ; but even then it was delightful . The view was most extensive , looking over a beautifully undulating country , and , as he justly observed , one of the very highest interest , as every reader of English history was too well acquainted with to need mentioning " When you have enjoyed this enough for one morning , we will descend ; for we have some wonders to exhibit here , almost , passing the bounds of human belief , " he said , jestingly . Then , laughing loudly , and bowing to the lady , he preceded us down the circular staircase , covered with rich dark carpet from top to bottom . We descended almost to , the base , and entered a room , of the size of which , from the outside , I had not the slightest conception .
But we are already much beyond the limits wo had prescribed to ourselves when we first took up these volumes . The reader must go to thorn himself if he would enjoy an insight into the contents of that wonderful tower , and we can promise him that lie will not be disappointed . The fairy palace of the Banou Peri falls into the shade by the side of its description . In parting with his guests we recognise the portrait of a finished gentleman of the old school : — When wo reached the stops , he gavo hia arm to the lady , handed , hoc into tho carriage , and waited with hia hat off till wo drove away . The party then proceed to Mr . Bcckford's residence in tho Crescent , and again the lover of books , oi paintings , of old china , gems , and of all
that is cosily and raro , is referred to the book itself . We quote but one passage here , because the love of flowers was indeed a passion , a part of his nature , whioli lie could never control :- — ) ( In some of tho rooms wore vaaos of the finest flowers , which wore constantly renewed . Ho could not live Without having them about him , and ho arranged them himself in tho most tasteful manner . This habit he continued when in London , and , besides his purchases At tho suburban nurseries , considerable quantities wore every day aont up to hhn from his own gardens . After passing a delightful and instructive day , wo left him ; but ho would not lot mo go before I promised to come and spend a considerable time with him as soon as I possibly could . ' With all thoir faults , these volumes cfesorvp to meet
I glanced quickly round the room , and I suppose my looks , or , as he often said , my eyes , betrayed that I was slightly disappointed . " What ! not satisfied ! Well , sit down for a moment , and then we'll begin our pilgrimage . O you of little faith !" He laughed heartily as he said this . Those who ever heard it cannot forget the complete hilarity and enjoyment of his loud and ringing laugh . At the first glance there was little of any artistic consequence in the
room . The articles it contained were all in very good taste , a nd " pretty" would be the term rightly employed in describing them . . After talking for a few minutes , and congratulating him on his good looks , I said that I had heard he had bought the house nes : t him ; that I supposed his books and curiosities had so outgrown his present house that he was forced to buy another , in order to have a place to pufc them ; and I wished him joy in the amusement it would afford him in fitting it up and decorating it .
"No , 1 am not going to fit it up at all ; I am going to leave it exactly as it is . " " But why so ? " I asked . " Why have you bought it ? Perhaps I have been misinformed . " "No , I have really bought it ; but the reason at present must remain a most profound mystery , quite as deep as Barkiarokh and the other Vathek episodes . But don ' t be alarmed , restrain your impatience , and in due time you shall know all . Now , let ' s set forth on our pilgrimage . " He showed us first the pictures hanging in-the room in which we were . Among these were several fine but -small specimens of mpdern English artists . There was a very good sketch by West , for his large picture of
Lear , which he considered , with justice , one of his best productions . There was also a curious and fine picture by an early Italian artist , Sandio Boticelli . He then threw back a curtain , for , with the exception of the outer doors to each suite , the whole of the apartments had curtains instead of doors . We then entered a library , containing some of the most wonderful copies of embellished works it is possible to imagine . It was full of unique large paper copies , with the finest epreuves tPctrtiafr of the plates , and in many casea etchings and original drawings were inserted . I remarked in thia as well as in , every other room in the house—for , in fact , every room in the house was a library—that the books appeared to be placed without the slightest regard to order . A work of the fifteenth century , probably treating of some curious religious subject , was placed next an edition of La Fontaine , or a work of a similar
p « riod . But Mr . Beckford appeared to be able to find anything in a moment , and ran , about in evident delight , pulling out One book after another , and exclaiming , ?' Good Heaven } did you ever see anything like this ? Look ; at these delicious impressions J—oply seethe purity of , this paper!—hero ' s no trick ; , no retracing , no washing—everything as pure as tho day it was printed . " The next room was fitted up in the style of an ancient Grecian library , and the subdued light produced an almost magical effect . Between the ceiling and the top of the book-shelves were arched recesses , in which were placed Bomo most magnificent Etruscan vases . It was altogether a place admirably adapted for study . There were also some most marvellous- 'books , and on a table in the centre choice productions of ancient enamelled ware . Another curtain waa thrown back , and we entered a sombre passage , the only light to which was admitted through stained glass .
" Before , " said Mr , Beckford , "I bought tho next bouse , this was the extent of my domains , and tho room in which I study is that we wore last in , and which you moat properly call a Grecian library , for so it is . Now , had I not bought this house , I should have been perpetually annoyed by tho ticking of some cursed jack , tho J ingling of some beastly piano , horrid-toned bells tinkling , and so on . The only way to avoid this was by buying the house ; and bo I bought tt , to tho infinite annoyance wad astonishment of tho Bath aristocracy—an odd breed , I believe . " Wo turned to tho left in this passage and . entered another room on the ground floor , containing books and ¦ oirne amazingly flnb specimens of china . Under tho book-shelves wore sovcrnl drawers of oak , all , as everywhere elnoin the house , unlocked , containing marvellous stores of Jewels of oil descriptions , including a m « gnificonfc peart necklace and an infinite number of agate and jade , ciips . Wo then ascended a dimly lighted staircase , and came to two drawing-rooms , loading one
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PROVERBS WITH PICTURES . Proverbs with Pictures . By Charles II . Bennett . Chapman and Hal ) . Since the publication of the wdl-known series of sketches , called Shadoics . 'U . Y . C . H . Bennett has deservedly taken a foremost rank amongst the caricaturists of the day . His humour , to some extent original , is of a reflective and philosophic kind , while his drawinff belongs more to the . school of Cruikshank
than ot Leech . Though there is a . hardness in some of his sketches , and a want of grace in his female figures , he compensates us for these deficiencies by his quaintness of idea , his invention , and his abundant resources of thought . He is never vulgar and indecorous ; and though he lacks that degree of observation which has made the great Punch artist what ho is , he never indulges in a stylo of comic art which has the slightest tendency to
coarseness . Mr . Bennett , in his present work , has taken n number of familiar proverbs , which ho has illustrated in a highly fanciful manner . " Tho ill-workman who quarrels with his tools , " is a savage brute of n fiddler , . in heavy hobnail boots , who leaps in Ujq nir , and comes down upon tho frail body of Jus useless Cremona . Tho individual who is told "if . is better to bend the neck than bruise tho forehead , " is a tall thin footman , sitting erect in his scat behind his master ' s carriage , and looking with culm contempt upon tho vory koy-stono of tho low arch under which they are at that moment passing .
" Love and a cough cannot bo hid , " so the cook is found out by her mistress , because her policeman in tho cupboard is unfortunately asthmatical . " Anything for a quiet life , " is a lonel y dinner upon the top of the pyramid of Cheops , and " necessity is fho mother of .. invention" is shown as a wooden-leg loft standing in a man-trap , while its possessor has gone about his burglary unfettered . " A little knowledge is a clangorous thing , " » a joprosentod by a monkey standing before t »" mouth pf a cannon and playing with the touch-hole . " Two blacks do not make a white" is proved by n ohild , who plays with tho ooal-aouttlo with ouolmnd , and nulls over tho inkstand on his head with tlio
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indul and . ' . ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ' . ' . ¦ ¦• . ¦ ¦ . ¦ . ~ ¦ ¦ * — . „ THE L E A P E R . [ No . 45 S , January 1 , 1859 .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 1, 1859, page 12, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2275/page/12/
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