632 Recent Wiltshire Boohs, Pamphlets, Articles, &c. 



sorts and conditions of men on all sorts of subjects, strung together, but 

 not quite always explained, by a somewhat scanty stream of comment. 

 The author's final judgment of his hero is as follows : — 



" It has been said that Beckf ord's was a wasted life, but this is a 

 hard judgment. Rather it should be said, taking into account the 

 temptations — perhaps even greater in those days than these — which 

 encompass a millionaire ; that on the whole he lived wisely and welL 

 There was no vice in him ; he was not a roue nor was he unduly 

 addicted to the pleasures of the table ; while such hobbies as he had 

 — the collection of pictures, prints, and books — were virtues . . . 

 It has been urged against him that he did not consider his colonial 

 possessions entailed upon him any responsibility towards those who 

 were labouring to build up his fortune, and it is true that he did not 

 in the least concern himself about his Jamaican slaves : like the 

 other owners, he left their welfare to his representatives in the island. 

 On the other hand, he was interested in the poor in the neighbourhood 

 of Fonthill ; and the building of the Abbey— a whim in itself far 

 from reprehensible — was actually suggested by the opportunity it 

 afforded to give employment to those in need. He was, too, ex- 

 tremely charitable, though for this quality he obtained no credit in 

 his lifetime, because he never allowed his name to appear in any 

 lists . . . Beckford had his weaknesses, of course. He was 

 egotistical, impetuous, imperious. He was also too fond of praise, 

 and tolerated such a man as John Britton, who beslavered him with 

 flattery in his lifetime, and slandered him dead. He was inclined, 

 especially in his later days, to take himself very seriously, but his 

 sense of honour always saved him from becoming ridiculous . . . 

 He was not a deep scholar, but he was, as we have seen, un- 

 doubtedly a singularly accomplished man . . . His name survives, 

 not merely as that of a collector, nor merely as that of a remarkably 

 gifted man, but as a most brilliant amateur of letters, the author of 

 an imperishable book of travels and of a story that is universally 

 accepted as a masterpiece." 



The Appendix contains a reprint of the " Description of Fonthill," 

 by J. Storer, 1812 ; an apparently full and accurate Bibliography of 

 Beckford's writings arranged chronologically ; and a list of authorities 

 on the subject of Beckford's Life. There is also a sufficient index. 

 Altogether the book is quite a notable addition to the list of Wiltshire 

 Biographies. 

 Reviewed, Saturday Review, May 21st ; Spectator, June 25th, 1910. 



The Story of the Battle of Edington. By the Rev 

 William H. P. Gresswell, MA., F.RG.S. Taunton : 

 Barnicott & Pearce, The "Wessex Press, 1910. 



Linen, 9in. x 5fin., pp. 6 unnumbered, + 80 + 4 pp. unnumbered, 

 containing list of subscribers and review of the author's books. Four 

 sketch maps and four process views of " The Parret Mouth and Brent 

 Knoll," " The River Parret and the Polden Ridge," " Downend and 

 the River Parret," " Glastonbury Tor from the North- West." 



