Nineteenth-Century British Pornography: Sources and Materials

Colette Colligan is Professor of English at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. Her recent work on pornographic writing has appeared in Victorian Studies, Book History, Histoires Littéraires, and the Cambridge Companion to Erotic Literature.

• Volume 3: Pornographic Literature and the Underground Book Trade, 1880s-1910sEditor: Colette ColliganTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsChronologyGeneral IntroductionVolume 3 IntroductionBibliographyIntroduction: Pornographic Literature and the Underground Book Trade, 1880s-1910sPart 1: The Sins of the Cities of the Plain or the Recollections of a Mary- Ann, 1881Introduction1.1. Literary Excerpts1. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain or the Recollections of a Mary-Ann with Short Essays on Sodomy and Tribadism, vol. 1 [excerpts] (London [Paris]: Privately Printed, 1881 [c. 1891]), pp. 7-26, 96-106.2. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain or the Recollections of a Mary-Ann with Short Essays on Sodomy and Tribadism, vol. 2. [excerpts] (London [Paris]: Privately Printed, 1881 [c.1891] ), pp. 107-22.3. Letters from Laura and Eveline. Giving an Account of their Mock=Marriage, Wedding Trip etc. [excerpt] (London [Paris]: Privately Printed, 1903), pp. 5-53.1.2. Bibliographic Entries4. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain and Letters from Laura to Eveline in Pisanus Fraxi, Catena Librorum Tacendorum: Being Notes Bio-biblio-iconographical and Critical, on Curious and Uncommon books (London: Privately Printed, MDCCCLXXXV), pp. 194-95.1.3 Early Reception of The Sins of the Cities of the Plain5. Doctor Jacobus X, Crossways of Sex. A Study in Erotico-Pathology, vol. 2. [excerpt] (Paris: British Bibliophiles’ Society. Issued for the Subscribers, 1904), pp. 156-57.6. Charles Reginald Dawes, A Study of Erotic Literature in England. Considered with Especial Reference to Social Life [excerpt] (Gotheringon, Cheltenham: [Unpublished], 1943).1.4. Victorian Laws Prosecuting Queer Sexuality7. Offences Against the Person Act 1861, c. 100, Section 61. 8. Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, Section 11.1.5. Newspapers and Queer Sex Scandals9. Newspaper coverage of the Boulton and Park Trial: ‘Occasional Notes’, Pall Mall Gazette, 10 May 1871, p. 4, and Reynolds’s Newspaper, 14 May 1871, pp. 6-8 and 21 May 1871, pp. 5-6. 10. Newspaper coverage on the arrest of a soldier: ‘Police Intelligence’, The Daily Telegraph, 9 July 1881, p. 2. 1.6. Underground Dealers: William Lazenby, Bookseller and Publisher11. ‘Police’, The Times, 17 July 1871, p. 13. 12. ‘Police’, The Times, 16 September 1876, p. 11.13. ‘Indecent Publications’, Reynolds’s Newspaper, 24 September 1876, p. 1.14. Trial of William Lazenby, Proceedings of the Central Criminal Court, 18th September, 1876. 15. William Lazenby, Newgate Prison Register16. ‘Selling Obscene Publications’, Pall Mall Gazette, 27 November 1886, p. 10.17. William Lazenby (alias Duncan Cameron), 22 November 1886.Part 2. Randiana; or Excitable Tales, 1884Introduction 2.1. Literary Excerpts18. Randiana; or Excitable Tales; Being the Experiences of an Erotic Philosopher [excerpt], (New York [London]: MDCCCLXXXIV), pp. 122-2719. Abishag. A Luscious Tale of a Successful Physiological Search After Rejuvenescence… By David II (Jerusalem [Paris, 1900?]), pp. 3-192.2. Randiana in Underground Book Catalogues20. Entry for Randiana in Bibliotheca Arcana, Being a Rough List of Rare, Curious and Uncommon Books, Pamphlets, Prints, & Engravings (London: MDCCCXCIX)21. Entry for Randiana from Catalogue of Rare and Curious English Books2.3. Bibliographical Entries on Randiana22. Entry on Randiana from Pisanus Fraxi [Henry Spencer Ashbee], Catena Librorum Tacendorum: Being Notes Bio-biblio-iconographical and Critical, on Curious and Uncommon Books (London: Privately Printed, MDCCCLXXXV).23. Excerpt from Épreuves corrigées (corrected proofs) for Guillaume Apollinaire, Fernand Fleuret, and Louis Perceau, L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale, (1913) 24. Excerpt from the published version of Guillaume Apollinaire, Fernand Fleuret, and Louis Perceau, L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale, icono-bio-bibliographie de tous les ouvrages composant cette célèbre collection (Paris: Mercure de France, 1913).Part 3. The Romance of Violette, 1891Introduction3.1. Literary Excerpts25. The Romance of Violette. A Posthumous Work by a Celebrated Incognito (London [Paris]: Privately Printed, 1891), pp. vii-x, 11-27, 185-210.26. Le Roman de Violette. Oeuvre Posthume d’une Célébrité masquée¸ [excerpt from Chapter 9] (Lisbonne [Brussels]: chez Antonio da Boa-Vista [Auguste Brancart], 1870 [1883]).3.2. The Romance of Violette in Underground Book Catalogues27. Entry from Catalogue of Rare Curious and Voluptuous Reading, 1893.3.3. Dildoes in Pornographic Literature28. Love and Safety; or Love and Lasciviousness with Safety and Secrecy [excerpt], (The Erotica Biblion Society of London-New York [Paris], [c. 1906]), pp. 59-67.29. The Story of a Dildo. A Tale in Five Tableaux [excerpt], (London [Brussels]: Private Printed, 1891), pp. 31-41, 82-6.30. School Life in Paris [excerpt], (Privately Printed: MDCCCXCVII), pp. 37-493.4. Underground Dealers: Henriette Doucé, Bookseller and Publisher31. Excerpt from an advertisement for Doucé’s bookshop in La Revue populaire, 30 November 1882, p. 52.32. Félicien Rops, La jolie fille en chemise [menu pour Mlle Doucé], n.d., rotogravure retouched with drypoint and soft varnish on paper.33. Publisher’s ornament on the title page of Honoré Gabriel Riquetti de Mirabeau, Erotika Biblion (Bruxelles: Gay et Doucé, Éditeurs, 1881).34. Publisher’s ornament on the title page of Éric Besnard, Le Lendemain du mariage (Paris: H. Doucé, Libraire-Éditeur, 1884).35. Publisher’s ornament on the title page of Émile Blain et H. Sombre, Flétrie (Paris. Lalouette-Doucé, Libraire-Éditeur, 1888).36. ‘Doucé et Consorts’, Archives de l’État à BruxellesPart 4. Teleny or The Reverse of the Medal, 1893Introduction4.1. Literary Excerpts37. Teleny or The Reverse of the Medal. A Physiological Romance of To-Day, vol. 2 [excerpt] (Cosmopoli [London]: 1893), pp. 7-63, 92-12238. Des Grieux (The Prelude to “Teleny”), [excerpt], 1 vol. (N.d. [Paris]: 1899), pp. 5-2639. ‘Erotic Fragments from the Diary of a Paris Student’, in Female Lust. As Illustrated in the Ridingcocke Papers (Vichy [Paris]: 1901), pp. 93-1094.2. Teleny in Underground Book Catalogues40. Entry on Teleny from Catalogue of Rare and Curious English Books41. Entry on Teleny from List of Rare and Curious Books4.3. Rumours about Oscar Wilde’s Involvement with Teleny42. Vyvyan Holland’s letter to Christopher Millard, 5 August 1921(extract)43. ‘Notice Bibliographique Extraite des Notes et Souvenirs d’un Vieux Bibliopole’, in Teleny. Étude Physiologique. 2 vols (Paris: MCMXXXIV).44. Charles Reginald Dawes, A Study of Erotic Literature in England. Considered with Especial Reference to Social Life [excerpt], (Gotheringon, Cheltenham: [Unpublished] 1943)4.4. Underground Dealers: Leonard Smithers, Bookseller and Publisher 45. Catalogue from New and Gorgeous Pantomime entitled Harlequin Prince Cherrytop and the Good Fairy Fairfuck or the Frig the Fuck and the Fairy (Theatre Royal Olymprick [London]: Private Reprint, MDCCCCV), pp. 49-5246. Catalogue from Pleasure Bound ‘Afloat.’ The Extraordinary Adventures of a Party of Travellers, et leurs affaires galantes (Imprinted for the Members of the ‘Chatty’ Club. London: 1908)47. Some Rare and Precious Second-Hand Books [excerpts] (N.p. [Paris:], 1903)48. Excerpt from a Letter from Oscar Wilde to Reginald Turner, 10 August 189749. Excerpt from the unpublished manuscript of Dan Ryder (London bookseller).Part 5. Gynecocracy, 1893Introduction5.1. Literary Excerpts50. Gynecocracy: A Narrative of the Adventures and Psychological Experiences of Julian Robinson (Afterwards Viscount Ladywood) Under Petticoat Rule, Written by Himself [excerpts], 3 vols (London: Printed for Distribution Amongst Private Subscribers Only: MDCCCXCIII), vol. I, pp. 87-91, vol. II, pp. 1-18, 65-805.2. Illustrations for the French Adaptation of Gynecocracy51. Illustrations by Martin van Maële for Jacques Desroix, La Gynécocratie ou La Domination de la Femme (Paris: Charles Carrington, Libraire-Éditeur, 13, Faubourg Montmartre, 13, MCMII). 5.3. Gynecocracy in Underground Book Catalogues52. Entry for Gynecocracy from Catalogue of Rare Curious and Voluptuous Reading, 1901.5.4. Flagellation and Submission in Pornographic Literature53. The Petticoat Dominant or Woman’s Revenge. The Autobiography of a Young Nobleman as a Pendant to Gynecocracy, by Le Comte du Bouleau [excerpt](Paris and New-York: 1898), pp. 127-72 54. The Yellow Room or, Alice Darvell’s Subjection. A Tale of the Birch. By M. Le Comte du Bouleau [excerpt] (London [Paris]: Privately Printed, 1891 [c.1902] ), pp. 98-132 5.5. ‘Corsets for Men’ in Magazines55. ‘To the Editor of “Society”’, Society, September 16 1899.56. ‘To the Editor of “Society”’, Society, September 23 1899.57. ‘Corsets for Men’, Society, September 23 1899.58. ‘Madame Dowding” Advertisement, Society, November 18 1899.59. ‘To the Editor of “Society”’, Society, April 21,1900.Part 6. My Secret Life, 1888-1894 Introduction6.1. Literary Excerpts60. My Secret Life, [excerpts], 11 vols (Amsterdam: Not for publication, [1888-1894]), vol. 1. pp. 5-14, 220-41, vol. 2. pp. 267-77, vol. 8. pp. 33-61, vol. 3. pp. 28-30, vol. 5. pp. 53-8, vol. 7. pp. 366-69, vol. 9. pp. 262, vol. 11. Pp. 141-426.2. Prospectus and Underground Book Catalogues for My Secret Life61. Prospectus for My Secret Life or The modern Casanova62. Entry from Catalogue of Rare and Curious English Books63. Entry on The Dawn of Sensuality from List of Rare and Curious Books6.3. Early Reception of My Secret Life64. Excerpt on My Secret Life in Forbidden Books. Notes and Gossip on Tabooed Literature. By an Old Bibliophile (Paris: For the Authors and His Friends, 1902).65. Excerpt from Charles Reginald Dawes, A Study of Erotic Literature in England. Considered with Especial Reference to Social Life (Gotheringon, Cheltenham: [Unpublished] 1943)6.4. Underground Dealers: Auguste Brancart, Bookseller and PublisherBrancart’s Title Pages for Pornographic Books in English66. Title page for The Power of Mesmerism. A Highly Erotic Narrative of Voluptuous Facts and Fancies (Moscow: Printed for the Nihilists, 1891).67. Title page for The Yellow Room or, Alice Darvell’s Subjection. A Tale of the Birch by M. Le Comte du Bouleau (London: Privately Printed, 1891).68. Title page for The Bagnio Miscellany. Containing the Adventures of Miss Lais Lovecock Written by Herself (London: Printed for the Bibliopolists, 1892).Brancart’s Underground Book Flyers69. “By the Same Publisher’, in The Bagnio Miscellany. Containing the Adventures of Miss Lais Lovecock Written by Herself (London: Printed for the Bibliopolists, 1892) 70. ‘Latest Novelties’71. Brancart’s Newspaper Advertisements in British and French NewspapersThe Illustrated London News, 20 September 1890, p. 381. Gil Blas, 6 September 1891, p. 4.Gil Blas, 3 October 1891, p. 4.The American Register, 11 April 1891, p. 3.Gil Blas illustré, 2 October 1892, p. 7.La Démocratie du Cher, 17 October 1892, p. 4.The Anglo-American Times, 21 October 1892, p. 1. La Lanterne, 2 November 1893, p. 4.La Lanterne, 11 October 1894, p. 4. Truth, 19 May 1892, pp. 1043-4.Brancart’s Associates Under Surveillance72. Excerpt from Rapport Affaire Hurt et Maheu, 23 April 189073. Excerpt from the investigating judge’s report, 19 June 189074. ‘Ouvrages en Anglais’Part 7. Pauline, The Prima Donna, 1898Introduction7.1. Literary Excerpts75. Pauline, The Prima Donna; or, Memoirs of an Opera Singer [excerpts], (Printed for the Erotica Biblion Society of London and New-York [Paris], 1898), pp. 79-116, 167-867.2. Pauline, The Prima Donna in Underground Book Catalogues76. Entry in Bibliotheca Arcana, Being a Rough List of Rare, Curious and Uncommon Books, Pamphlets, Prints, & Engravings (London: MDCCCXCIX) 77. Entry in Publications of the Erotica Biblion Society78. Entry in Catalogue of English Books 1902 - Paris - 190.7.3. Underground Dealers: Jules Eugène Gauché and Angélina Leboucher, Publishers and Printers79. Title page for Pauline, The Prima Donna; or, Memoirs of an Opera Singer (Printed for the Erotica Biblion Society of London and New-York [Paris], 1898) 80. Title page for The Horn Book. A Girl’s Guide to the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Printed for the Erotica Biblion Society of London and New-York [Paris], 1899)81. Title page for Memoirs of a Russian Princess (London [Paris]. Privately Printed (Not to be sold], 1906)82. Title page for Les onze mille verges. Par G… A… (Paris: En ventes chez tous les Libraires, [c.1907]),83. Excerpts from Publications of the Erotica Biblion Society84. Entry on Odor di Femina from the proofs for Guillaume Apollinaire, Fernand Fleuret, and Louis Perceau, L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale, icono-bio-bibliographie de tous les ouvrages composant cette célèbre collection (Paris: Mercure de France, 1913)Part 8. Crissie, 1899Introduction8.1. Literary Excerpts85. Crissie A Music-Hall Sketch of To-Day [extracts], (The Alhambra [Paris]: 1899), pp. 55-65, 133-54.8.2. Crissie in Underground Book Catalogues86. Entry from Catalogue of Rare Curious and Voluptuous Reading, 19018.3. Early Reception of Crissie87. Discussion of Crissie in Forbidden Books. Notes and Gossip on Tabooed Literature. By an Old Bibliophile (Paris: For the Authors and His Friends, 1902), pp. 110-12.8.4. Newspaper and Magazine Coverage of London’s Music Halls88. ‘The Social Purity Party’s Objection to Music-Hall Licences’, The Illustrated Police News, 24 October 24 1896, p. 6.89. ‘The Need for Improved Music-Halls’, Hearth & Home, 20 October 1898, p. 882. 90. ‘Licensing at Clerkenwell’, The Era, 12 November 1898, p. 21.Part 9. Suburban Souls, 1901Introduction9.1. Literary Excerpts91. Suburban Souls. The Erotic Psychology of a Man and a Maid [excerpts] (Paris: Printed for Private Distribution amongst Private Subscribers Only: 1901).9.2. Early Reception of Suburban Souls92. Forbidden Books. Notes and Gossip on Tabooed Literature by an Old Bibliophile [excerpt] (Paris: For the Author and His Friends, 1902), pp. 121-369.3. Underground Dealers: Charles Carrington, Bookseller and PublisherCarrington’s Advertisements and Flyers93. ‘Private Literature’, Society, 6 May 1899, p. 1467. 94. Bibliographie de la France, 7 April 1900, p. 875.95. ‘Very rare and very curious English Books,’ in Charles Sackville, Two Lascivious Adventures of Mr Howard. A continuation of Maud Cameron and her Guardian (London [Paris]: Printed for Subscribers Only, MCMVII).Carrington’s Defence of Forbidden Books96. Preface, Forbidden Books. Notes and Gossip on Tabooed Literature by an Old Bibliophile (Paris: For the Author and His Friends, 1902), pp. ix-xiiContemporary Impressions of Carrington97. Letter from Oscar Wilde to Leonard Smithers, 12 August 189898. Excerpt from Gustave le Rouge, Verlainiens et décadents: Souvenirs inédits (Paris: Editions Marcel Seheur, 1928), p. 230.Carrington Prosecuted and Deported99. ‘For Translating Arabic’, News York Herald (European Edition), 9 October 1901, p. 1. 100. ‘Mr. Carrington Explains’, News York Herald (European Edition), 14 October 1901, p. 5.101. Excerpt from a Letter from Charles Carrington to Anatole France, 16 December 1907102. Excerpt from Chief Inspector Edward Drew’s testimony about advertising from pornographic dealers published in the Report from the Joint Select Committee on Lotteries and Indecent Advertisements, Together with the Proceedings of the Committee, Minutes of Evidence, and Appendices (London: HM Stationery Office, 1908), pp. 39-40.103. Seized letters from Carrington in 1911 relating to his mail confiscated by the British Post OfficePrinted letter from Charles Carrington to his customers, June 1911.A note written in Carrington’s hand at the back of the above letter, dated June 10, 1911.Letter from Charles Carrington to Reginald McKenna , 11 December, 1911.Part 10. The Initiation of Aurora Trill, 1903Introduction 10.1. Literary Excerpts104. The Initiation of Aurora Trill [excerpts] (London [Paris]: 1903), pp. 7-18, 114-23 105. A Nocturnal Meeting. By Ramrod [excerpt] (International Publishing Office: London - New York - Paris, [c.1911]), pp. 119-2810.2. Hirsch’s Underground Book Catalogue106. A Short List of Amusing English Books. Privately printed.10.3. Bibliographical Entries on The Initiation of Aurora Trill107. Entry on The Initiation of Aurora Trill from the published version and the proofs of Guillaume Apollinaire, Fernand Fleuret, and Louis Perceau, L’Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale, icono-bio-bibliographie de tous les ouvrages composant cette célèbre collection (Paris: Mercure de France, 1913).10.4. Underground Dealers: Charles Hirsch, Bookseller and PublisherHirsch’s London and Paris Bookshops108. “Booksellers’ Windows’ [excerpt], The Academy, 3 April 1897, p. 383.109. Charles Reginald Dawes, A Study of Erotic Literature in England. Considered with Especial Reference to Social Life [excerpt] (Gotheringon, Cheltenham: [Unpublished] 1943)Hirsch Prosecuted and ImprisonedLondon, 1898-1899110. ‘A Booksellers’ Photographs’, Reynolds’s Newspaper, 27 November 1898, p. 4. 111. ‘The Sale of Indecent Publications’, St. James’s Gazette, 27 January 1899, p. 10.112. ‘County of London Sessions’, The Times, 2 March 2 1899, p. 13-14. 113. ‘County of London Sessions’, The Times, 2 March 10 1899, p. 3.Paris, 1912114. ‘La chasse à la pornographie’, Gil Blas, 15 February 1912, p. 2. 115. ‘Arrestation d’un libraire’, Gil Blas, 16 February 1912, p. 3.Part 11. Aleister Crowley, White Stains (1898) and Snowdrops from a Curate’s Garden (c.1904) Introduction11.1. Literary Excerpts from White Stains116. White Stains. The Literary Remains of George Archibald Bishop A Neuropath of the Second Empire [excerpts]([N.p.]: 1898), pp. 58-65, 78-80, 122-2311.2. Early Reception of White Stains117. Forbidden Books. Notes and Gossip on Tabooed Literature by an Old Bibliophile [excerpt] (Paris: For the Author and His Friends, 1902), pp. 45-4811.3. Literary Excerpts from Snowdrops from a Curate’s Garden118. Snowdrops from a Curate’s Garden [excerpts] (1881 A.D. Cosmopoli, Imprimé sous le manteau et ne se vend nulle part), pp. 1-13, 113-19, 157-8,11.4. Aleister Crowley’s Confessions119. Excerpt from Aleister Crowley, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. An Autohagiography. Eds. John Symonds and Kenneth Grant (London: Jonathan Cape, 1969), pp. 410-3.120. Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present, compiled and edited by John S. Farmer and W. E. Henley, 7 vols, [excerpts] (Printed for Subscribers Only, 1890-1904).Index