WILLIAM, was the son of alderman Beckford, noted for his uncourteous reply to George III. on the presentation of an address from the city of London. He was born in 1761, and at the age of nine he inherited an immense fortune from his father. In early life he travelled in Italy, Sicily, Spain, and Portugal, and resided some time in the latter kingdom, where he had a princely residence. He afterwards returned to England, and built a fine residence at Fonthill, on which he expended in about eighteen years the enormous sum of L273,000. This, together with its splendid library and pictures, he sold to Mr Farquhar in 1822; but soon after, a tower of 260 feet fell down and buried part of the villa in the ruins. Mr Beckford afterwards began the erection of another lofty structure on Lansdownehill, near Bath, where he continued to reside till his death, which happened in 1844. He was a powerful and original writer. His first work, Biographical Memoirs of Extraordinary Painters, which appeared in 1780, exhibits much knowledge of the art. In 1784 he published in French the singular tale entitled History of the Caliph Vathek, which soon afterwards appeared in English. In 1834 his first Continental tour appeared under the title of Letters from Italy, with Sketches of Spain and Portugal, a work never perhaps surpassed for striking description and refined sarcasm. His latest production, published in 1835, was entitled Recollections of an Excursion to Alcobaza and Batallia in 1794.

All these works exhibit uncommon power of vivid description, and a cultivated taste. He left two daughters, the eldest of whom was married to the late Duke of Hamilton.