Few know at this day the terrible story of Melmoth the Wanderer – half man, half devil – who has bartered away his soul for the glory of power and knowledge, and, repenting of his bargain, tries again and again to persuade some desperate human to change places with him-penetrates to the refuge of misery, the death chamber, even the madhouse, seeking one in such utter agony as to accept his help, and take his curse…but ever fails. That original story by Charles Robert Maturin is included here, along with the later sequel penned by no less a literary figure than Honore de Balzac.