degree) I do give unto the British Museum, this my
Collection of Topography, made during a residence of five years
abroad--and hoping that the more modern publications may be added to it
hereafter. Rich. Colt Hoare, A.D. 1825.' The Stourhead library was sold
by auction on Monday, the 30th of July 1883 and seven following days, by
Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge. The books, engravings and drawings, of
which there were one thousand nine hundred and seventy-one lots,
realised ten thousand and twenty-eight pounds, six shillings and
sixpence. On the 9th of December 1887, and three following days, some
more books belonging to the library were sold for one thousand three
hundred and ninety-two pounds, eleven shillings and sixpence. The prices
obtained for many of the books were exceptionally high.

WILLIAM BECKFORD, 1759-1844

William Beckford, the author of _Vathek_, was born at Fonthill,
Wiltshire on the 29th of September 1759. He was the only legitimate
child of Alderman William Beckford, who was twice Lord Mayor of London,
and who died in 1770, leaving his son property worth upwards of one
hundred thousand pounds a year. Beckford amassed at his residence at
Fonthill a magnificent collection of books, pictures, furniture and
curiosities of all kinds, but his extravagance and the depreciation of
his West India property compelled him in 1823 to sell Fonthill and the
greater part of its contents. He, however, retained a portion of his
library and the best of his pictures, and removed them to Lansdown
Tower, Bath, which he built on leaving Fonthill, and where he continued
to add to his collections. Beckford married in 1783 Margaret, daughter
of Charles, fourth Earl of Aboyne, by whom he had two daughters--Margaret
and Susan Euphemia--the elder of whom married Colonel Orde, and the
younger the Marquis of Douglas, who afterwards became Duke of Hamilton.
The elder daughter having offended her father by her marriage with
Colonel Orde, he left all his property to the Duchess of Hamilton.
After Beckford's death on May the 2nd, 1844, the Duke of Hamilton
wished to sell the library to Mr. Henry Bohn, who was willing to give
thirty thousand pounds for it, but the Duchess objected to part with
her father's books, and they were removed to Hamilton Palace, but
kept separate from the noble library which already existed there.
In the years 1882, 1883 and 1884 both these splendid collections
were sold. The sale, or rather sales, of the