[51] you will add many months, perhaps years to my life by seeing my lovely Sovereign and filling her head with –:–:–:– recollections of our happy hours at Fonthill. Tomorrow I set forwards again and shall proceed without stopping till we reach the wild rocks of the Tirol – I shall I dare say enjoy many a deep reverie amongst their solitudes in which you will seem to descend the Forests of Pine which cover the Mountains. – Adieu my Love, how does your picture thrive. – give me an Account of its progress. – You will of course let me know if you see that noodle xx and what she says in all the confidence of silliness. – If you hear any thing of me that is at all Characteristic be sure let it be mentioned.

Monday Night March 4th 1782

The Winds are murmuring around me and I am relapsed into one of my melancholy moods. - Why do you live away from me intirely? – Are we never again to talk over [52] our last journey to Fonthill – the soft light that tinted the meads and the River at Staines and the conversation you had with Wm in the Eve: – Shall I forget our arrival the dark night in the enchanted Halls! no never. – O God – what consolation have I left in this existence; but the recollection of those delightful Hours! – If you have any inclination to trace back the incidents of last December – be with me to morrow Morning

Mr Cozens
Augsburg June 2d 1782

I keep wandering on like a restless Spirit and only wish some powerful Sorcerer would lay me in the red Sea. I cannot forget my poor little Wm – I cannot banish from my thoughts those happy hours we past last Xmas at Fonthill – That Night in particular haunts my imagination when we arrived from Salisbury and seemed transported to a warm illuminated palace raised by Spells in some lonely Wilderness. – Dont you remember the soft tints that coloured the Thames the preceding evening? – Alas I cannot chase one circumstance however trifling [53] from my memory. – Thank Heaven you were with me your image is now connected with the happiest recollections which rise in my mind. – Here am I once more in my old apartment calling up the long series of events which have taken place since last I saw it. – You may guess what figure – appears predominant. – I am very weak and tired with my Journey – How shall I support the heats of Italy – your Son is well and grows every day in my esteem. – Burton falls into delightful reveries upon the Harpsichord, but often touches certain chords which bring all Fonthill before my eyes and make me run wild about the Chamber. The Weather is gloomy and every Mountain still crowned with snow – I long to hear from you and to enjoy sunshine – My Langour is such that I can write no more – My dear Friend adieu. –

[54] From my Cell July 2d 1781

My eyes are a little better; but would have been much more so, had they but seen you last Wednesday. – The pure air of the range has greatly relieved my cold and of consequence my spirits, I suffer myself to be lulled by the murmurs of Pan in his favorite grove and when Evening draws on listen to the language of the Rooks with attention – all this is amendment, for in the great City where most was required I paid no attention to any thing – Come here and you shall not be neglected tho’ I am often to be surprized in reveries which bear off my poor weak Soul to Wm –

Mrs B:d
Paris Monday Oct: 28 1782

Now I approach. The Mountains, the Lakes, the plains recede, the Sea Coast begins to appear and afar off I seem already to discover the white cliffs of our Island –
My dear Louisa with what joy shall I see you again – with what Transport shall I plunge into my Indian dreams – At Fonthill we shall be peaceful and happy [55] unless I am cruelly mistaken – My Cousins are to be with me – I receive the most aff: Letters from my Wm – Tho’ pale and weak in my bosom is perfectly tranquil I feel delightfully calm – My sensations I sd imagine like those of a person who after struggling with the waves stretches out his limbs on a bank of green swerd and lulled by the murmurs of leaves sinks into repose. Take great care of the inclosed and if you love me convey it safe –.

Margate April 14th 1781

I am just landed shaking every nerve and casting eager looks towards XX – The Eve: is clear and cool the Sun set red and troubled I have been walking on a green open field which crowns a cliff and deploring my strange fate that fatal power of distracting others and of imbibing myself too soft – too fond affections. – What Adventures have I to relate, my dear Friend, – They will make you tremble. – Come to me in the course of [56] to morrow Eve: that I may have the comfort of telling you again and again how sincerely I am your aff:
William Beckford

After passing six tedious days at Calais and hearing contrary winds howl dismally the sky cleared and we came over. – I landed by Moon light under the Cliffs and walked to and fro a few minutes in spite of the Cold. – Let me see you Monday Eve: my dear Friend – adieu for a few hours. – you are the only Being to whom I write. –
Dover Saturday Eve Nov 9 1782

Saturday May 1780

I have been sailing with the Argo since I saw you last. We soon left the Helespont behind and favorable winds [57] wafted us too swiftly by the green coast of Propontis. – Hercules was in raptures at the sight of the lofty Mountain, where his Fates whispered he was to be enshrined a God amongst Gods. We had a great deal of conversation which I shall impart to you this Evening. I long to relate the story of Hylas who you know accompanied us in the Expedition. – I injoin you by all our Divinities of Greece and the Indies not to allow any Engagement whatsoever to hinder your seeing me at half past six. –

I write to you from the confines of the Forest of Ardenn once the delight of Chivalry. – At this moment I survey its vast solitudes which the twilight renders still more aweful and interesting – The Town swarms with Idlers and gay Vagabonds – I left them dancing and fiddling to stray by myself amongst the Rocks and view the distant Woods from their promontories – Would to God the the memorable Fountains of Merlin were still attainable – I might then be happy with the hopes of forgetting a passion [58] which preys upon my soul. I cannot break my chains – I struggle and the more attempts I make to shake them off the firmer they adher to me – This wayward Love of mine makes me insensible to every thing – I move feverishly from place to place – but it is in vain it pursues me – pursues me with such swiftness! seizes upon me and marks me for its own – O delicious Hours that are gone for ever your recollection is my sole comfort – I live alone by your remembrance. –
Spa July 7 1780

Naples Novr 7 1780

Your charming lines of the 29th Sepr found me viewing our classic Bay from Sir W.ms terrace and gazing with all my eyes earthly and spiritual upon the Island of Caprea – Why are you not at my side to share my sensations and fix the glorious scenery of the Clouds with your pencil. – Next Summer unless my hopes are frustrated will see us I hope reposing under our own Cypresses at Fonthill and talking of Hesperia. – I attempt neither description nor any thing else in those short Letters [59] which are only meant to tell you I am well and ask if you are so. Upon my return I shall lay whole Volumes before you – I saw your friend H at Rome who seems to have a share of Taste but wants our fiery enthusiasm without which life is dull and stagnant Does your Son go on with my drawings? I hope he does – he cannot make too many – Having seen Italy I value them more than ever if that be possible. – My affect: Compliments wait upon him – Circe desires to be included in this remembrance since no Artist ever did ampler justice to her promontory.
The Sirens have been propitious and granted me – I am bold and vain enough to say – some few of their persuasive accents – Indeed I flatter myself I have gained considerably how could I do otherways – hearing Lady Hamilton every day whose taste and feeling exceed the warmest ideas – I pass my whole time with her – she perfectly comprehends me an is more in our Style than any Woman – with whom I am acquainted – My dear little Friend writes me the most affec: Letters I could desire – Judge therefore whether I do not think Naples the Garden of Irem and see blue skies and [60] and brighter Sunshine than exist perhaps in reality – Adieu

Paris March 10th 1781

I have no other consolation but Musick no other method of expressing my feelings – my Pen drops from my enervate hand and obliges me to pauze every three Lines I write – You cannot imagine to what a feeble state of existence my frantic and impatient passions have reduced me – Would to God I could snatch up you know who, in my arms and flying to the utmost extremity of the Earth reach that secure retirement of the good old Punese Monarch supplied by golden fountains eternally flowing with milk. I loath this World and would at all events find out some other were it not for the hopes of enjoying your Society and casting one more look on my dear little W:m. His image haunts me, his voice seems to vibrate in my ears when I play some little airs on the Pianoforte – which I composed during my happy hours. – Adieu I have hardly strength to tell you – that scarce a thought enters my

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