I read English at Cambridge in the early 80s

and the previaling thought culture of the dons was such that you weren't allowed to read Victoriasn literature other than through a prism of belief in the sexual repression of the author. Load of tosh, IMHO, but research into this question did provide a great deal more entertainment than hunting for early metaphor in Anglo-Saxon fragments.

For those who are interested, I recommend "The Other Victorians" by Steven Marcus for an academic consideration User Posted Link "My Secret Life" by "Walter" for a fascinating part diary, part fantasy description of a rich Victorian man's sex life among the demi-monde - User Posted Link and User Posted Link and for straightforward early Edwardian filth, "Opus Pistorum" by Henry Miller (yes, THAT Henry Miller - he wrote it for money when he was hard up in Paris around the turn of the century) User Posted Link

Posted By: Old Git, May 9, 10:43:08