![]() ![]() Further books and manuscripts from the Rosebery family collection, housed in Barnbougle Castle in Scotland, were sold at auction in 2009. The Rosebery family has a long association with Beckford, bibliographically, the first Lord Rosebery buying prodigiously from the auction of Beckford's library at the Hamilton Palace sales in the 1880s. This copy is from the library of Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, with his bookplate and Epsom library bookstamp - many of the books from "The Durdans" were sold at auction in 1933, including eighty-six Beckford titles, which is presumably when this book came onto the market. It was also said to have had a significant influence on various aspects of his famous, constantly evolving designs for Fonthill Abbey. Although he found Alcobaça gloomy and "Saxon", Batalha intrigued and enchanted him. The prose is, as always, lush, without becoming too purple, the setting seems to live and breathe, the plot is tight and rises to a taut climax, the characterisations are satisfying, and the sensuality that always infuses her stories is. ![]() ![]() ![]() Beckford first travelled to Portugal in 1787, mostly staying in the environs of Lisbon and Sintra he returned in 1793, taking up residence in a coastal villa overlooking the Tagus estuary, from where he planned this excursion to the nearby monasteries. 'Lycanthia' was a nice surprise to me, as I actually think that it's one of the better of Lee's books. Later full tan morocco gilt, by Riviere.Īn attractive association copy of Vathek author William Beckford's memoir of his travels in Portugal. Engraved mezzotint portrait frontispiece, half-title, xi, 228pp. ![]()
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