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Title: Vathek

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Title: Vathek Title Record # 2892553
Author: William Beckford
Date: 1786-00-00
Type: NOVEL
Series: Vathek
Series Number: 1
Language: French
Note: Originally composed and intended to be published in French. However, the novel was first published in an English translation in 1786. The two French editions of 1787 were translations of the the 1786 English translation. Beckford's original French manuscript was not published until 1815.
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Other Titles

Variant Titles Translations
Year Title
1787ⓘTranslated by unknown hands from the first English translation of the original unpublished manuscript.
 Vathek [as by uncredited]
1787ⓘRevision of the Hignou edition. Translated by unknown hands
 Vathek: Conte Arabe [as by uncredited]
1815 Vathek [as by uncredited]
Year Language Title
1786ⓘTranslated by Samuel Henley Beckford arranged this English translation of the original French manuscript, but its publication in 1786, without any corrections by him and crediting no author, was unauthorized. The French manuscript was not published, and was lost. The first two French-language editions, both dated 1787, were re-translations from this one. Beckford revised the work in English at least twice, for 1816 and 1823 editions. --based on the Beckford biographical entry by John Clute [JC], Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997), with undated Addenda (linked above), and the English Wikipedia novel article [EN] JC and EN do not make clear whether Beckford participated in a 1786/87 or any later French-language reconstruction. Nor whether this version has been the basis for any later translations. JC notes a new English translation in 1929.
 English An Arabian Tale, From an Unpublished Manuscript: With Notes Critical and Explanatory [as by uncredited]
1786ⓘWritten in French (by an Englishman) circa 1782. Translated by Samuel Henley into English and published without authorship in 1786. The 1816 editions were the first authorized (although published anonymously), and includes many corrections and revisions to the 1786 translation. See also the 1786 variant, below. The 1929 edition is a 'new translation by Herbert B. Grimsditch, expanded with "Episodes of Vathek", as Vathek, with The Episodes of Vathek, 2 volumes'. --John Clute, undated "Addenda" to the Beckford biographical entry in SFE: Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
 English Vathek
1816 English Vathek [as by uncredited]
1834 English Vathek: An Arabian Tale
1868 English The History of the Caliph Vathek [as by William Beckford, Esq.]
1881 English The History of the Caliph Vathek
1907ⓘTranslated by Franz Blei
 German Vathek
1921ⓘFeatures a 'free' translation. Translated by Karl Toth
 German Vathek
1924ⓘTranslated by Hans Schiebelhuth
 German Vathek
1987ⓘTranslated by Raluca Dana Cotruță
 Romanian Vathek
2013ⓘ Translated by an unknown hand
 English Vathek: An Arabian Tale [as by William Beckford, Esq.]
2020 English Vathek, an Arabian Tale

Publications

Not displaying translations • Display all variants and translations • Do not display variants or translations

Title Date Author/Editor Publisher/Pub. Series ISBN/Catalog ID Price Pages Format Type Cover Artist Verif
Vathek 1787-00-00 uncredited Isaac Hignou     iv+
204
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
 novel  
Vathek: Conte Arabe 1787-00-00 uncredited Poinçot     190
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
 novel  
Vathek 1815-00-00 uncredited Clarke  
10/6?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
 218
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
 novel  

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