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07-23-2014, 02:30 AM | #1 |
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Reynolds, George W.M.: Mysteries of the Court of London 1st series. v2. 23 July 2014
George William MacArthur Reynolds (23.7.1814-17.6.1879) was a
contemporary of Charles Dickens and his rival in popularity at that time. He openly expressed his anti-aristocratic and anti-clerical sentiments in his numerous novels. His elaborate and poetic treatment of eroticism, seduction and human sexuality made him a controversial writer in mid-century Victorian society. Till recently, he was quite ignored by mainstream literary scholarship. "The Mysteries of the Court of London" (MOCL, 8 volumes in four series, 1848-1856) are the continuation of "The Mysteries of London" (MOL, 4 volumes in 2 series, 1844-1848.) The change of the title is due to an ownership issue. There were frequent stereotype reissues of MOCL during the 19th century by its publisher John Dicks, London and one new American edition "Privately Printed for Members" of the [nonexistent] "Oxford Society, London/Boston" or, better still, the "Burton Ethnological Society", was published in 20 volumes of ca. 500 pages each around 1900 and titled "The works of George W.M. Reynolds". In that edition, chapter CVI. "The Sanctimonious Conclave" is entirely missing. There are also reprints of MOCL produced in India up to the 1930s. Incomplete digitized versions of MOL and MOCL can be found on the internet. MOCL was translated into many European and Asian languages. The setting of the first series of two volumes of MOCL which appeared in 104 weekly issues from 1848 to 1850, is an account of events purported to have taken place in the British royal family during the Regency Era (1795-1820), centering on the erotic escapades of the Prince of Wales, later King George IV., and his aristocratic friends. EXCERPTS Show us a class of persons, on the face of God Almighty's earth, more thoroughly heartless than the English aristocracy. No -- you cannot! There exists not an oligarchy in the world so devoid of proper feelings as that which comprises the nobility and the fashion of this realm. Talk of the donations which they make to charitable institutions -- it is a despicable farce! They only give where they know their names will be proclaimed by canting saints at Exeter Hall, or published in the columns of the daily newspapers. And even if they were really charitable and truly bounteous, even if they gave largely to the deserving poor, and dispensed gold by handfuls in secret benevolence, they would only be rendering back to the people a portion of that inordinate wealth which they derive from the thews, sinews, fibres, vitals, and heart's blood of the toiling, wretched, starving millions! ... ... The Reverend Mr. Sneaksby seemed petrified with sudden astonishment, and his friend appeared precisely in the same predicament. For upwards of a minute did they gaze, open-mouthed, upon the lovely creature lounging with graceful negligence in her chair. At the first glance they fancied it was a young and dandified man, with his hair dressed in a feminine style; but as their looks wandered over the beautiful white forehead with its transparent tracery of azure veins faintly marked, -- the profile too delicate for the male sex, -- the brightness of the rich moist coral lips, the total absence of beard and whisker, the fairness of the complexion, and the glossy silkiness of that raven hair, -- as their eyes, we say, embraced all these fascinating details, one after another, they began to entertain sore misgivings; and when their looks settled upon the exuberant and swelling contours of the full bosom over which the riding-surtout fitted with such shapely tightness, developing rather than concealing those feminine charms of which the Amazon possessed such a voluptuous abundance, their faces gradually elongated to a degree presenting the most ludicrous aspect of woe-begone sanctimoniousness and hypocritical misery. ... ... "What would you have me do?" asked Florimel, his breast a prey to desires which were almost maddening, as he contemplated the lovely girl; for in the agitation that had latterly seized upon her, and when she covered her face with her hands, as she now recovered, she had thrust her naked arms forth from beneath the ample cloak, and the licentious voluptuary was enabled to feast his eyes upon those arms so white and round. ... ... And as she sat by the side of Sir Richard Stamford, with one fair hand locked in his own, she gazed upon him with looks full of tenderness, full of love, full of profound and impassioned affection; and the heightening colour of her damask cheeks and the deepening scarlet of her plump and juicy mouth, combined with the gentle heaving of her bosom, indicated the soft desires that were animating her soul. For that was the age of low gowns and transparent dresses; and more than half of the royal lady's voluptuous breast was revealed to view when her scarf was laid aside. Thus the swelling and falling of those luxuriant globes of snow were plainly visible; and as the baronet felt the warm pressure of Amelia's hand and beheld her glowing bust, when, too, he saw the tint of the rose deepening into that of the carnation upon her cheeks, and her fine blue eyes becoming more melting and tender in expression, he would have been something more or something less than man had he not caught the effluence of that desire and the spirit of that sensual longing which exhaled, as it were, from the beauteous person of the royal maiden. This work is assumed to be in the Life+70 public domain OR the copyright holder has given specific permission for distribution. Copyright laws differ throughout the world, and it may still be under copyright in some countries. Before downloading, please check your country's copyright laws. If the book is under copyright in your country, do not download or redistribute this work.
To report a copyright violation you can contact us here. Last edited by melaulur; 08-07-2014 at 12:54 AM. Reason: new version |
07-23-2014, 07:55 PM | #2 |
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Thanks for the book and the excerpts. Karma on its way
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08-07-2014, 12:57 AM | #3 |
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Reynolds, George W.M.: Mysteries of the Court of London 1st series. v2. 7 Aug 2014
Uploaded a new version of Mysteries of the Court of London 1st series
adding the missing parts of Chapter 80. Typos corrected. |
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