William Beckford (1760–1844) was an English novelist, art collector, and politician. He is best known for his Gothic novel "Vathek" (1786), written in French and later translated into English. Beckford was born into a wealthy family and inherited a vast fortune, which he used to indulge his interests in art and architecture. He constructed the famous Fonthill Abbey, a lavish Gothic revival country house. Beckford's eccentric lifestyle and extravagant spending led to financial difficulties later in life.
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