Description
The Haunted House is a rare and obscure work of Victorian flagellant fiction. It was first published in December 1880 as the Christmas edition of the notorious Victorian clandestine periodical The Pearl: A Journal of Facetiae and Voluptuous Reading (1879-1880) and, until the release of this Birchgrove Press edition, it had not been reprinted. The Haunted House tells the tale of Dick Fenn, who inherits a fortune and a mysterious estate, which is known as "The Haunted House," in Sandyshire. With two male companions, he sets out for his newly acquired property, and the friends enjoy a number of intense erotic encounters with female inn workers on their way. From one of the girls Dick hears the story of Sir Anthony Harvey, a passionate flagellator, and later discovers that the latter's curious history is inextricably interwoven with "The Haunted House." This edition of The Haunted House, which will appeal primarily to fans of Victorian erotica (especially readers who enjoy The Pearl), includes six black and white illustrations. It also includes the tale of Vanessa, or the Story of a Milliner's Apprentice, which was first published in The Pearl, Christmas Annual 1881