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This edition is the first to reproduce John Addington Symonds’s Memoirs in its entirety. It offers a panoramic view of middle-class Victorian life, shedding light upon sexual cultures and life histories too often hidden from history. Symonds (1840-93) began writing his Memoirs in 1889. It was, he confessed, ‘a foolish thing to do.’ Symonds was a respected man of letters, an historian, translator, essayist and poet; he was also married with children. But rather than unfold a simple tale of public and private achievement, the Memoirs record his struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with these professional and familial identities. His autobiography offers a confessional account of relationships beyond the accepted bounds of nineteenth-century social mores, presenting an alternative case study that contests the legal and medical authorities that would label his desires a crime or disease. Yet being so eloquent on matters of heterodox sexuality, the Memoirs were suppressed. The manuscript survives because Symonds recognised its import, however ‘foolish’: he instructed his literary executor to preserve the text, a duty ultimately discharged by placing the manuscript under embargo in the care of the London Library.

Male homosexuality --- History --- Symonds, John Addington, --- Homosexuality, Male --- Symonds, J. A. --- Simonds, Dzhon Addington, --- History. --- Great Britain --- Europe --- Literature --- Literature, Modern --- Sociology. --- Sex (Psychology). --- Gender expression. --- Gender identity. --- History of Britain and Ireland. --- Nineteenth-Century Literature. --- History of Modern Europe. --- Literary History. --- Gender Studies. --- Sex identity (Gender identity) --- Sexual identity (Gender identity) --- Identity (Psychology) --- Sex (Psychology) --- Queer theory --- Expression, Gender --- Sex role --- Psychology, Sexual --- Sex --- Sexual behavior, Psychology of --- Sexual psychology --- Sensuality --- Social theory --- Social sciences --- Appraisal of books --- Books --- Evaluation of literature --- Criticism --- Literary style --- Annals --- Auxiliary sciences of history --- History—1492-. --- History and criticism. --- 19th century. --- Psychological aspects --- Appraisal --- Evaluation --- Homosexuality --- Men --- Sexual behavior --- Great Britain-History. --- Literature, Modern-19th century. --- Europe-History-1492-. --- Literature-History and criticism. --- Great Britain—History. --- Literature, Modern—19th century. --- Europe—History—1492-. --- Literature—History and criticism.