Vathek (1786), originally written in French, remains one of the strangest eighteenth-century novels and one of the most difficult to classify. Perverse and grotesque comedy alternates with scenes of 'oriental' magnificence and evocative beauty in the story of the ruthless Caliph Vathek's journey to superb damnation among the subterranean ...
Beckford's Gothic novel, "Vathek", an Arabian tale, was originally written in French when the author was twenty-one. It is the story of Caliph Vathek, whose eye can kill at a glance, who makes a pact with the Devil, Eblis. This edition includes an introductory essay on William Beckford (1760-1844), encompassing the development of genre, the ...
Written as a continuation of Vathek, these are tales told in Hell by perverted individuals doomed to an eternity of suffering. They treat of such themes as necrophilia, tranvestism, incest, un-limited lust and the arbitrary use of power. The Episodes of Vathek is a cry of despair from a man committed to a forbidden love.
Written in 1782 by the near-legendary hedonist William Beckford when he was only twenty-one, Vathek, or the History of the Caliph Vathek, was the first Oriental-Gothic horror novel in English literature. It tells the story of Vathek, the debauched and pleasure-seeking ninth Caliph of the Abassides, who decides to build a great tower to 'penetrate ...
First published in 1796, "Modern Novel Writing" is a satirical attack on the sentimental and sensational novels of the day, as well as William Pitt the Younger, the war with France, repressive legislation, and government neglect of the poor. Edited with an introduction and notes by Robert Gemmett, professor of English at SUNY Brockport and an ...
"The descriptions of Vathek's palaces and diversions, of his scheming sorceress-mother Carathis and her witch-tower, are triumphs of weird coloring which raise the book to a permanent place in English letters."-- H. P. Lovecraft, in "Supernatural Horror in Literature."
My crimes are even greater that those of the Calif Vathek. No rash and impious counsels hastened my ruin, as they have hastened his. If I am here, in this abode of horror, it is because I spurned the salutary advice, oft repeated, of the most real and loving friend.
Having studied under Sir William Chambers and Alexander Cozens, the author, William Thomas Beckford travelled to Italy in 1782 and promptly wrote a book on the subject: Dreams, Waking Thoughts, and Incidents; in a Series of Letters from Various Parts of Europe (1783). Shortly afterwards came his best-known work, the Gothic novel The History of the ...
Having studied under Sir William Chambers and Alexander Cozens, the author, William Thomas Beckford travelled to Italy in 1782 and promptly wrote a book on the subject: Dreams, Waking Thoughts, and Incidents; in a Series of Letters from Various Parts of Europe (1783). Shortly afterwards came his best-known work, the Gothic novel The History of the ...
No words can describe the amazement of the courtiers when they beheld this rude merchant withstand the encounter unshocked. They all fell prostrate with their faces on the ground to avoid the risk of their lives, and continued in the same abject posture till the Caliph exclaimed in a furious tone, "Up, cowards! seize the miscreant! see that he be ...
This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark ...
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3O ) Xvithout encouragement, he would natu rally fuppofe to be a hardfhip and a toil. When they are feen working in front, and when confequently the action of the limbs is obferved to vary with ...
We guarantee every item's condition, as described on Alibris. If you are not satisfied that an item is as described, return your purchase for a refund.
The Grand Tour: Or, the Purloined Coronation Regalia: Being a Revelation of Matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, Including Extracts from the Intimate Diary of a Noblewoman and the Sworn Testimony of a Lady of Quality
