m at the Palace; another letter
from one of the first noblemen in Portugal, entreating him to use his
influence with the Prince Regent for the reversion of the decree of
confiscation of some nobleman's estate; another from the Grand Prior of
Aviz (in French). Mr. Beckford was treated as a grandee of the first
rank in Germany; he showed me an autograph of the Emperor Joseph.
Voltaire said to him, "Je dois tout a votre oncle, Count Anthony H. The
Duchess was acknowledged in Paris by the Bourbon as Duchess de
Chatelrault. On going to Court I saw her sitting next the Royal Family
with the Duchess, whilst all the Court was standing. The Duchess has
fine taste for the arts, quite as strong a feeling as I have. The Duke
also is amazingly fond of the arts. The Marquis of D. has a spice of my
character."

The Claude looked more blooming and pearly than ever. I observed that I
had never seen such a tone in any Claude in existence. I know many
pictures which had that hue, but they have been so daubed and retouched
that they are no longer the same. He showed me the Episodes. One
begins, "Mes malheurs, O Caliphe sont encore plus grands que les votres,
aussi bien que mes crimes, tu a ete trompe en ecoutant un navis
malheureux; mais moi, pour me desobir d'une amitie la plus tendre, je
suis precipite dans ce lieu d'horreur."

The origin of Beckford's "Lives of Extraordinary Painters" was very odd.
When he was fifteen years old the housekeeper came to him, and said she
wished he would tell her something about the artists who painted his fine
pictures, as visitors were always questioning her, and she did not know
what to answer. "Oh, very well; I'll write down some particulars about
them." He instantly composed "Lives of Extraordinary Painters." The
housekeeper studied the manuscript attentively, and regaled her
astonished visitors with the marvellous incidents it contained; however,
finding many were sceptical, she came to her young master and told him
people would not believe what she told them. "Not believe? Ah, that's
because it is only in manuscript. Then we'll have it printed; they'll
believe when they see it in print." He sent the manuscript to a London
publisher, and inquired what the expense of printing it would be. The
publisher read it with delight, and instantly offered the youthful author
50 pounds for the manuscript. The housekeeper was now able to silence
all cavilers by producing the book itself.

Ha