Beckford's Gothic novel, "Vathek", an Arabian tale, was originally written in French when the author was twenty-one. It is the story of Caliph Vathek, whose eye can kill at a glance, who makes a pact with the Devil, Eblis. This edition includes an introductory essay on William Beckford (1760-1844), encompassing the development of genre, the satirical mode, the Oriental tale, travel writing and diaries. The texts include "The Vision", "Vathek", selections from the "Biographical Memoirs", "Azemia", the "Journal of 1787", plus travel writing and writing on dreams.