Victorian Erotica

My Secret Life by Walter (The Sex Diary of a Victorian Gentleman) is an 11 volume memoir of this anonymous writer's many sexual exploits. It's very graphic, and the language (while somewhat dated) is still kind of raw.

It was originally published somewhere between 1888 and 1894 amidst much controversy. Only 20-25 sets were originally printed, and sold at the time for £60 per set, the equivalent to over $6000 today. No one knows for sure who the actual author is, but many speculate that it is one Henry Spencer Ashbee (see below).



The entire text has now been made available online here. Be warned, it is extremely graphic.

I read one story (number five) and was struck by how unflinching and raw it came across. Some of the details were hardly flattering to the author but it tells you that he described his 'adventures' as faithfully as he remembered them. The sense of guilt and misinformation going around, is also pretty funny, such as this passage where his grandfather asks him if he's been...um, practicing:

"I denied it. He raved out "No denial, sir, no lies, you have, sir; don't add lying to your, bestiality, you've been at that filthy trick, I can see it in your face, you'll die in a mad-house, or of consumption, you shall never have a farthing more pocket-money from me, and I won't buy your commission, nor leave you any money at my death." I kept denying it, brazening it out. "Hold your tongue, you young beast, or I'll write to your mother." That reduced me to a sullen state, only at times jerking out: "I haven't!" He put on his hat angrily, and left me in a very uncomfortable state of mind".

Thanks to Chris DiClerico for this story.