2 Guided: directed or given.
1Beckford’s father, the Alderman, had been Lord Mayor of London twice.
1 In a week’s time.
1Trees bearing hazel nuts.
2 Amazement, wonder.
1Primeval being.
1 Aurora borealis.
1Outside.
1Charles James Fox (1749–1806), politician and parliamentarian.
2 Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751–1816), playwright, theatre owner and parliamentarian.
1 See above, p. 157.
1 Alexander Cozens whose approval Beckford is seeking.
2 Ironic reference to Catholic habit of venerating remains of saints, sometimes of doubtful origin.
1 Mountain overlooking Athens, famous for honey (and marble).
2 Tobias Smollet, author of Travels Through France and Italy, 1766.
1 Rhetorical address to an absent person.
2 Town in Sicily.
3 Born at Syracuse c. 270 BC; celebrated rustic life in Sicily in his verse.
4 See above, p. 140 n. 1.
5 A writer on Greek culture, second century AD.
1Volcano in Sicily.
2 Town houses
1 The Gordon Riots, during which a number of buildings were damaged or destroyed, took place in summer, 1780.
1Like Caliph Vathek, see above, p.31.
2 Adrian Ostade (1610–85) and Isaac Ostrade (1621–49), Dutch painters of rustic life and also religious motifsi
3Frans Snders (1579–1657), Flemish ainter of still life and animal scenes.
4 Referring to Alexander Cozens.
1 Justus Van Huysum (1659–1716), Dutch artist, famous for flower studies.
2 Nicolas Berchem (1620–83), Dutch Italianate painter.
3 See above, p. 143 n. 3.
4 Phillip Peter Roos (1657–1705), German painter who lived in Rome.
5 David Teniers (1610–90), Flemish follower of Bruegel.
1Famous Antwerp firm of harpsichord makers established in 1580.
2 See above, p.140 n.1.
3 His christian duty was to help travellers cross a river.
4 Catherine of Siena (?1347–80).
3 John the Apostle (d. late 1st century), author of Fourth Gospel.
1 Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713), Italian composer, violinist and collector of paintings.
2 See above, p. 141 n. 2.
1 Town on Dutch coast near the Hague.
2 Greek god of shepherds.
3 Roman spirit of woods.
4 Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia.
5 Christian Frederick Anthony, Count Bentinck de Veral (1734–68), resident of the Hague.
6Daughters of evening who guard the tree of the golden apple in Greek mythology.
1Pieter Breugel (c. 1525–69), follower of Hieronymous Bosch.
2 Philips Wouvermans (1619–68), Dutch painter from Haarlem, pupil of Frans Hals.
3 Paulus Potter (1624–54), Dutch animal painter.
1Women’s quarters in Persian house.
2 Wife of King Priam of Troy.
3 Hills in the neighbourhood of Quang-Tong. [Beckford’s note]
4 Opened in 1759.
1 Joseph Yorke (1724–92), diplomat and envoy at the Hague.
2 Hendrik Fagel (1706–90), Secretary of State.
3 Wide hose or breeches, particularly loose.
1Leiden University was one of the leading European institutions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; its faculties of law and medicine were pre-eminent.
2 Salomon Gessner, Swiss prose writer whose descriptions of rustic scenery were famous throughout Europe.
1Tambourines.
2Pleasure house, presumably floating boathouse.
3 Native inhabitant of South Africa.
1 In Greek mythology Elysium was the pleasant setting for souls favoured by the gods in after life.
2 Nikolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf (1700–60), German religious leader.
3 Beckford stayed at his cousin, Sir William Hamilton’s villa at Posillipo in 1780 and 1782. See above, p. xii.
1 Virgil, Aeneid, Book VI.
2 Large stone breakwater.
3 Ancient city near Pompei also destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius AD 79.
4 Roman Emperor AD 54–68.
1 Yellow flower of poppy family.
2 ‘It is a delight to behold fields that owe nothing to the harrow, nor to any oversight of men.’ Virgil, Georgic 2.438–9.
3 Trumpeter, Virgil, Aeneid, Book VI.
4 ‘And round about in the water meadow grew white lilies mingled with crimson poppies.’ Propertius, 1.20.37–8.
1 M. de Cervantes Saavedra (1547–1616), author or Don Quijote (1604).
1 Triangular streamer attached to head of lance.
1 Fabulous race whose land, according to Homer, was on the edge of the world.
1Egyptian goddess of the underworld.
2Perseus son of Zeus who cut off the Medusa’s head
3‘Numerius Popidius Celsinus, son of Numerius, rebuilt from its foundations at his own expense the temple of Isis, fallen down in an earthquake.’ Him the board of adminstrators/town council appointed to their committee free of charge on account of his generosity when he was six year old.’
1Pliny the Younger (AD 61–113) described the eruption of Vesuvius.
2 Pomponius secundus, Roman dramatist, friend of Pliny who wrote his life.
3 Purificatory rite.
1 Account ofthe Discoveries at Pompeii Communicated to the Society of Antiquaries of London (1777).
1 Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65–8 BC), Roman poet.
2 Types of wine.
1Abbade Xavier (born 1689) was an intimate friend of the Marialva family.
2 C. Cullen, trans., The History of Mexico by D. F. S. Clavigero (1787).
3 W. Robertson, History of America, 3 Vols (Dublin, 1777).
4 J. C. de Pauw, Récherches philosophiques sur les Américains, 2 Vols (Berlin, 1768–9).
5 A. Solis, de Historia de la Conquista de Mexico (Madrid, 1684).
6 Thomas Horne (1772–92), long time resident of Lisbon who acted as Beckford’s agent.
7Betty and Sophia Sill, relatives of Thomas Horne. Betty married Bezerra (see next note) and later became Viscondessa de Tagoahi.
8Joāo Paulo Bezerra de Seixas (1756–1817), friend of Beckford who was a diplomat and later minister.
9 Henrique de Aguilar e Menezes (Monsehnor), a prelate at the Patriarchate.
10 Beckford’s first Sintra residence.
11Dom Diogo, 5th Marquis (1739–1803).
12 Queen Maria I (1734–1816) who reigned from 1777 until 1799 when she became demented.
1 Frei Inaçio de Caetano (1719–88), Titular Archbishop of Thessalonica, immensely influential cleric who was Confessor to the Queen of Portugal.
2 Lantern.
3 Dr Francois Verdeil (1747–1832), personal physician to Beckford, native of Lausanne.
4 Sintra (spelt Cintra at this period) is a town near Lisbon which became a royal residence in the middle ages and was much favoured by the aristocracy as a country retreat.
5 Joāo Carlos de Bragança, 2nd Duke (1719–1806), ‘Uncle of the Queen’ who later married Henriqueta, Marialva’s daughter.
1Jeronimo Francisco de Lima (1741–1822), composer of sacred music and of opera.
2 Notice or formality needing completion.
3 Commander-in-chief.
4 Country villa.
5 José de Brito Leal Heredia (1745–1805).
6 Sebastiāo José de Carvalho e Melo (1699–1782), diplomat and autocratic ruler of Portugal in the reign of José I, Queen Maria’s father.
7 Manoel de Noronha e Menezes, Grand Prior of Aviz. Bastard brother of 4th Marquis of Marialva and uncle to Marialva.
8 Mafra Convent, built between 1717–1770 on a monumental scale, and completed only seventeen years before Beckford’s visit.
1 Currency of Portugal during this period.
1 St Anthony of Padua (1195–1231), was born a Portuguese aristocrat. He was patron saint of Lisbon and adopted by Beckford as his own patron saint. His statue, by Joseph Theakston, later adorned Fonthill Abbey.
2 Pedro de Marialva, 6th Marquis (1774–1823), son of Dom Diogo, 5th Marquis.
3 Boys.
1 St Augustine of Hippo (354–430), church father and theologian, his feast day is 28 August, i.e. the next day from the date of this diary entry.
2Half-boiled.
1I.e. the Grand Prior of Aviz.
1 Local officials.
2 See above, p. 40 n. 1.
3 Later Beckford had an octagon constructed at the centre of Fonthill Abbey.
1 From the depths.
1King George III who reigned from 1760–1820.
2 See above, p. xiv and p. 157 n. 1. A patent for ‘Lord Beckford of Fonthill’ had been made out in 1784.
3 Henriqueta de Lorenza Menezes (1772–1810), daughter of Diogo who later became Duchess of Lafōes.
4 Luis Pinto de Sousa Coutinho (1735–1804), 1st Viscount Balsemāo, Ambassador in London 1774–88.
5 Small carriage.
1Hotel Lawrence, Sintra was the favourite residence of itinerant Englishmen. On his visit in 1809 Lord Byron stayed there.
2 Octaviano Acciaoli (b. 1731) of Italian extraction.
3 Luiz Manoel de Menezes Mascarenhas, a prelate at the Patriarchate.
1 Joāo Jose Alberto de Noronha (1725–1804), 6th Count of S. Lourenço.
1 Manoel Carlos da Cunha e Tavora (1730–95), 6th Count, brother-in-law of Marialva.
2 The manuscript shows that Beckford changed the story to distance himself somewhat from an over-enthusiastic participation in a Catholic ceremony.
3 Satan.
4 Short-winded.
1 She is beside herself with all of us present.
2 D. Pedro III (1717–86), uncle of the Queen and also her consort.
3 In 1758, the Marquis of Pombal imprisoned and executed a number of leading nobles who were alleged to have been involved in a plot to murder the King, José I, the Queen’s father.
4 To the west of Lisbon. Given to the Order of S. Philip Neri, 1747.
1 Lady Catherine Hamilton, wife of Sir William Hamilton, Beckford’s cousin. See above, pp. xii and xiii.
2 Lady Margaret Gordon whom Beckford had married in 1783 and who died three years later. See above, pp. xiii and xiv.
3 Albus Tibullus (c. 60–19 BC), Roman elegaic poet.
4 The Palace of Setéais, later to be bought by Marialva.
1Mrs Gildermeester was wife of Daniel Gildermeester the Elder (1727–93), wealthy Dutch consul and owner of Setéais Palace.
2 Betty and Sophia Sills. Betty married Bezerra and later became Viscondessa de Tagoahi.
1 Also spelt Steets, a member of English community. Volterete is a card game.
4 Joaquina de Marialva (1782–1846), third child of Marialva who became Marchioness of Louriçal.
5 Ship bearing mail from England to Portugal.
6 José Maria de Sousa Botelho Mouráo, e Vasconcelos (1758–1825), friend of Bezerra and owner of estates in the north of Portugal. Beckford calls him D. José.
1Thomas Wildman of Lincoln’s Inn, Beckford’s solicitor.
2 Margarida, 5th Marchioness wife of D. Diogo.
3 Moorish.
4 Noble family involved in the Aveiro conspiracy, see above, p. 238 n. 3.
5 Afonso VI, King of Portugal from 1656–67, brother of Catherine of Braganςa, imprisoned after his abdication.
1D. José de Brito, see above, p. 227 n. 5.
1Antonio Maria G. Sacchini (1734–86), Neapolitan composer. The words may be translated ‘Become serious again, o pretty eyes’.’
2 In the north-east of Portugal.
3 Visited by Beckford in 1794. See below, p. 273 ff.
1Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux (1636–1711), French poet and critic.
2 Enjoyer of an easy life.
3 Ah do not trouble that proud mien.’
1Polymestor, King of Thracian Chersonese, murdered Polydorus, youngest son of Priam and Hecuba.
2 ‘Avenge my wrongs’.
3 Portuguese laurel.
1Luis José Xavier de Miranda Henriques (1726–93), 3rd Count of Sandomil, friend of Prince of Brazil.
2 Roman goddess of fruit.
3 Joáo V of Portugal (1706–50), whose reign was marked by acts of public munificence including the bulding of Mafra Convent and the University Library at Coimbra.
1 The Marialvas.
2 The monastery was on the heights of Sintra and is described by Byron in Childe Harold, Stanza XX. The words mean, ‘Our Lady of the Rocks’.
1 Capuchan monastery founded by the Franciscans in the range behind Sintra.
2 Defoe’s book appeared in 1719.
3 Colares is near Sintra; Beckford enjoyed riding in the valley.
1 Roman names for Portuguese.
2 Roman Emperor AD 14–37.
3 Sea-maidens in Homeric legend.
4 A type of raven found near the shore.
1 Oriental seasoned rice with meat.
2 See above, p. 246 n. 2.
3 See above, p. 246 n. 3.
4 Sintra peak, literally ‘green rock.’
1 Nicolas Poussin (1584–1665). His neo-classical landscapes and those of Claude Lorraine were taken as ideal representations of classical life and legend.
2 João de Castro (1500–48), Vice-roy of India who retired to Sintra where he built a quinta or country villa.
3–‘which a pine shades with its close branches, and, tho’ no storm stirs the groves, it tunes whistling songs in its cone-bearing boughs.’ Claudian, de Raptu Proserpinae 11.203–5.
1 Donkeys.
2 See above, p. 236 n.
3 Massacre of young males by King Herod (Matthew 11:16).
4 An early Reformer, Bishop of Basle, friend of Zwingli.
5 Beckford’s manservant.
6 Widow of Miguel de Arriaga, a colleague of Pombal.
1Picnic or meal taken outside.
2 Carlota Joaquina (1775–1830), daughter of Charles V of Spain, later consort to Joāo V of Portugal. She lived, separated from the King, at Ramalhāo after their return from Brazil in 1821.
1 José, Prince of Brazil (1761–88), heir to the throne died in mysterious circumstances in 1788.
2 Dom João, his brother, Prince Regent from 1791; King in 1816.
3 Evil smelling.
4 Firework with spiral flight.
5 Jean-Baptiste Pillement (?1728–1808), who painted the frescoes at various palaces and quintas in Sintra, including Setéais and Ramalhāo.
1 Church of S. Roque in Lisbon.
2 Sé Cathedral in Lisbon.
3 On 1 November, 1755 a severe earthquake, followed by fire and flooding, caused immense damage to Lisbon.
4 At the time I wrote this, half Lisbon believed in the individuality of the holy crows, and the other half prudently concealed their scepticism. [Beckford’s note]
5 Convento dos Clerigos Regulares de S. Caetano in Lisbon.
1 The Braganςa dynasty began in 1640 when the Duke became King Joāo IV of Portugal.
2 Federico Guilherme de Sousa (1737–90), Vice-roy of India 1779–86.
3 Manuel Maria du Bocage (1765–1805), satiric poet.
4 Luíz Vaz de Camõens (?1524–80), epic poet, whose Os Lusíadas is an account of the seafaring and crusading exploits of the Portuguese explorers.
1.
The mountain cool, the chestnut’s verdant shade.
The loit’ring walk along the river side,
Where never woe her sad abode hath made,
Nor sorrow linger’d on the silv’ry tide –
The sea hoarse sound – the earth with verdure gay
The gilded pomp of Phoebus’ parting rays –
The flocks that tread at eve their homeward way –
The soft mist yielding to the sunny blaze –
Not all the varied charms and beauties rare
That nature boasts – when thou, my sole delight!
Art absent from me, to my aching sight
Can comfort give, but as a prospect drear
And cold before me stand – I onward go,
And as the joys increase, increase my woe.
A Sonnet of L. de Camõens translated by John Adamson. J. Adamson, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Luis de Camõens, 2 vols (London, 1820), 1:255.
2 Domingos Monteiro de Albuquerque e Amaral (1744–1830), minor poet of sarcastic and indecent verse.
1 Meaning ‘John Bulls’, i.e. Englishmen.
2 St Vincent of Saragossa (d. 304), persecuted by various Roman emperors.
3 Holy crow.
4 Gabriel, younger son of Charles I of Spain.
1 Now the Praça do Comércio in the centre of Lisbon.
2 Rossio Square, officially Praça D. Pedro IV.
3 Polycarpio José Antonio da Silva (1745–1803), tenor at the Royal Chapel, teacher and composer.
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