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1、THEHISTORYOFTHECALIPHVATHEKTHEHISTORYOFTHECALIPHVATHEK1THEHISTORYOFTHECALIPHVATHEKINTRODUCTIONWilliamBeckford,bornin1759,theyearbeforetheaccessionofKingGeorgetheThird,wasthesonofanAldermanwhobecametwiceLordMayorofLondon.Hisfamily,originallyofGloucestershire,hadthrivenbythepl
2、antationsinJamaica;andhisfather,senttoschoolinEngland,andformingaschoolfriendshipatWestminsterwithLordMansfield,begantheworldinthiscountryasamerchant,withinheritanceofanenormousWestIndiafortune.WilliamBeckfordtheelderbecameMagistrate,MemberofParliament,Alderman.Fouryearsbefo
3、rethebirthofWilliamBeckfordtheyoungerhebecameoneoftheSheriffsofLondon,andthreeyearsafterhisson'sbirthhewasLordMayor.AsMayorhegaveverysumptuousdinnersthatmadeepochsinthelivesoffeedingmen.Hisson'sfamous"HistoryoftheCaliphVathek"looksasifithadbeenplannedforanAlderman'sdreamafte
4、raveryheavydinnerattheMansionHouse.Thereisdevotioninittothesenses,emphasisonheavydining.Vathekpiquedhimselfonbeingthegreatesteateralive;butwhentheIndiandinedwithhim,thoughthetableswerethirtytimescovered,therewasstillwantofmorefoodforthevoraciousguest.Thereisthirst:foratonepa
5、rtofthedream,whenVathek'smother,hiswives,andsomeeunuchs"assiduouslyemployedthemselvesinfillingbowlsofrockcrystal,andemulouslypresentedthemtohim,itfrequentlyhappenedthathisavidityexceededtheirzeal,insomuchthathewouldprostratehimselfuponthegroundtolapupthewater,ofwhichhecouldn
6、everhaveenough."AndthenightmareincidentsoftheArabiantaleallculminateinamostterribleheartburn.CouldtheconceptionofVathekhavefirstcometothesonafteraCitydinner?Thoughamagnificenthost,theelderBeckfordwasnoglutton.IntheyearofhisfirstMayoralty,1763,Beckford,stoodbythesideofAlderma
7、nWilkes,attackedforhisNo.45ofTheNorthBriton.Aschampionofthepopularcause,whenhehadbeenagainelectedtotheMayoralty,Beckford,onthe23rdofMay,1770,wentuptoKingGeorgetheThirdattheheadof2THEHISTORYOFTHECALIPHVATHEKtheAldermenandLiverywithanaddresswhichthekingsnubbedwithashortanswer.
8、Beckfordaskedleavetoreply,andbeforeHisMajestyrecoveredbreathfromhisastonish
