The History of the Caliph Vathek; and European Travels

London: Ward, Lock and Co, 1891 . Cloth. Very Good. 7.5" by 5.5". Not Stated. A scarce edition of William Thomas Beckford's Gothic novel, bound with his accounts of his European travels, and illustrated throughout. Illustrated with a portrait frontispiece, and eight further plates. Collated, complete.A very smart edition of this classic Gothic novel, bound with the author's travelogues.'Vathek', first published in 1786, capitalised on the Orientalism that was sweeping across Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and combines discussions of oriental cultures with the tropes of the gothic novel.Beckford originally wrote this novel in French, and it was translated by his friend the Rev Samuel Henley, who contributed to the critical and explanatory notes.With a biographical introduction.With the illustrated bookplate of E.M. Shadden to the front pastedown.Undated; dated 1891 via Jisc. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Bumping to back strip head and tail, with light fading to spine. Otherwise, externally lovely. Bookplate to front pastedown. Hinges strained, but firmly held. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and generally clean, but with some light spotting to first few leaves. Very Good