About the book: 1983 / The unusual, charming and frightening image of Melmoth, created by the talent of C. R. Maturin, has no parallel in the literature of the 19th century. John Melmoth, a man who tasted forbidden knowledge, was doomed to do evil against his will. Dark forces condemned him to eternal damnation, from which he could only get rid of if another person agreed to change roles with him. Melmoth is forced to wander around the world to find such a person... Translation by A. M. Shadrin, general editing, article and notes by M. P. Alekseev.