Edward Sellon
Encyclopedia
Edward Sellon was an English
writer, translator and illustrator of erotic literature
.
, England (bap. 9 Jul 1818 in Paddington
, England), the only child of Edward Sellon (1791-1822) and Laura Willats (b.1794).
Edward, Sr. was the son of William Marmaduke Sellon (1757-1824), a brewer and proprietor of several public-houses (pubs), and Henrietta Say (1761-1844). Laura was the daughter of Thomas Willats (1762-1852) and Laura Elizabeth Littlehales (1760-1825). After her husband's death, Lauara married John Booty on Oct. 14, 1828.
Edward, Jr. married Sarah Ann Wilds (abt.1819-1866) on Feb 29, 1840 in Brighton, England. Sarah was the daughter of Amon Henry Wilds (1790-1857) and Sarah Pain (1791-1871). Edward and Sarah had four children, all born in Brighton:
for ten years, eventually being promoted to captain. In 1844 he married a wife, but finding that she was not as rich as he had been led to believe before the marriage, left her to live in London with his mother at Bruton Street. Here, after two years, his wife rejoined him, though meantime Sellon was keeping a mistress in another part of town and had seduced his fourteen year old parlour maid, a girl called Emma. His wife's discovery of this latter affair led to fighting, and her leaving him, though Sellon was seemingly unrepentant. Hard times followed after the family fortune was lost and Sellon was constrained to work as a stagecoach
driver on the Cambridge Mail for two years and afterwards as a fencing master. Later on, after numerous affairs, he was reconciled with his wife and went to live with her in a village in the New Forest
, Hampshire
for three years. After she had a child, though, he grew tired of her and returned to London where he resumed a life of debauchery. A final reconciliation with his wife was engineered by a rich relation of Sellon, of whom the latter had financial expectations. This was, however, terminated when his wife discovered him leading a group of schoolgirls into a local wood "for a game of hide and seek". Once again Sellon returned to London, where, at the age of forty-eight, he terminated his existence by shooting himself at Webb's Hotel, Piccadilly
(now the site of the Criterion Theatre
) in April 1866.
In his last years Sellon wrote erotica for the pornographic publisher William Dugdale
. These included The New Epicurean
(1865) and a memoir entitled The Ups and Downs of Life (1867) which featured his erotic escapades in India. Sellon is one of two likely candidates for authorship of the erotic novel The Romance of Lust. He also wrote papers on phallic worship and Ophiolatreia, a book on snake worship
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
writer, translator and illustrator of erotic literature
Erotic literature
Erotic literature comprises fictional and factual stories and accounts of human sexual relationships which have the power to or are intended to arouse the reader sexually. Such erotica takes the form of novels, short stories, poetry, true-life memoirs, and sex manuals...
.
Family
Edward Sellon was born 6 Jan 1818 in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, England (bap. 9 Jul 1818 in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, England), the only child of Edward Sellon (1791-1822) and Laura Willats (b.1794).
Edward, Sr. was the son of William Marmaduke Sellon (1757-1824), a brewer and proprietor of several public-houses (pubs), and Henrietta Say (1761-1844). Laura was the daughter of Thomas Willats (1762-1852) and Laura Elizabeth Littlehales (1760-1825). After her husband's death, Lauara married John Booty on Oct. 14, 1828.
Edward, Jr. married Sarah Ann Wilds (abt.1819-1866) on Feb 29, 1840 in Brighton, England. Sarah was the daughter of Amon Henry Wilds (1790-1857) and Sarah Pain (1791-1871). Edward and Sarah had four children, all born in Brighton:
- Guillimina Constance Sellon (1842–1842)
- Ernest Littlehales Sellon (1847–1926); college lecturer...died in BrentfordBrentfordBrentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, England - William Loftus Sellon (1851–1895); a painter...died in EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland - Marmaduke St Juste Sellon (1855–1925); a priest...died in Paris, France
Life and writings
Sellon joined the army at age 16 and served in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for ten years, eventually being promoted to captain. In 1844 he married a wife, but finding that she was not as rich as he had been led to believe before the marriage, left her to live in London with his mother at Bruton Street. Here, after two years, his wife rejoined him, though meantime Sellon was keeping a mistress in another part of town and had seduced his fourteen year old parlour maid, a girl called Emma. His wife's discovery of this latter affair led to fighting, and her leaving him, though Sellon was seemingly unrepentant. Hard times followed after the family fortune was lost and Sellon was constrained to work as a stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
driver on the Cambridge Mail for two years and afterwards as a fencing master. Later on, after numerous affairs, he was reconciled with his wife and went to live with her in a village in the New Forest
New Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
for three years. After she had a child, though, he grew tired of her and returned to London where he resumed a life of debauchery. A final reconciliation with his wife was engineered by a rich relation of Sellon, of whom the latter had financial expectations. This was, however, terminated when his wife discovered him leading a group of schoolgirls into a local wood "for a game of hide and seek". Once again Sellon returned to London, where, at the age of forty-eight, he terminated his existence by shooting himself at Webb's Hotel, Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
(now the site of the Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has an official capacity of 588.-Building the theatre:...
) in April 1866.
In his last years Sellon wrote erotica for the pornographic publisher William Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
. These included The New Epicurean
The New Epicurean
The New Epicurean: The Delights of Sex, Facetiously and Philosophically Considered, in Graphic Letters Addressed to Young Ladies of Quality is a Victorian erotic novel published by William Dugdale in 1865 and attributed to Edward Sellon...
(1865) and a memoir entitled The Ups and Downs of Life (1867) which featured his erotic escapades in India. Sellon is one of two likely candidates for authorship of the erotic novel The Romance of Lust. He also wrote papers on phallic worship and Ophiolatreia, a book on snake worship
Snake worship
The worship of serpent deities is present in several old cultures, particularly in religion and mythology, where snakes were seen as entities of strength and renewal.-Hindu mythology:...
.
Selected publications
- 1848: Herbert Breakspear - a novel about the Mahratta War, set in India.
- 1865: The New Epicurean: The delights of sex, Facetiously and Philosophically Considered, in Graphic Letters Addressed to Young Ladies of Quality - falsely dated "1740", and written as an eighteenth-century pastiche, it is in fact from the pen of Sellon and dates to 1865.
- 1865: "On the Phallic Worship of India", in: Memoirs read before the Anthropological Society of London, Vol. 1, pp. 327-34
- 1866: The Adventures of a Schoolboy by James CampbellJames CampbellJames Campbell, Esq. was the founder of the Estate of James Campbell, one of the largest and wealthiest landowners in the United States Territory of Hawaii and in the state of Hawaii until 2007...
- illustrator. - 1866: The New Ladies' Tickler, or Adventures of Lady Lovesport and the Audacious Harry (1866) - dealing with flagellationFlagellationFlagellation or flogging is the act of methodically beating or whipping the human body. Specialised implements for it include rods, switches, the cat o' nine tails and the sjambok...
- 1866: Phoebe Kissagen; or the Remarkable Adventures, Schemes, Wiles and Devilries of une Maquerelle being a sequel to the 'New Epicurean, etc. - falsely dated 1743.
- 1867: The Ups and Downs of Life - an erotic autobiography.
- 1889: Ophiolatreia: an account of the rites and mysteries connected with the origin, rise, and development of serpent worship in various parts of the world, enriched with interesting traditions, and a full description of the celebrated serpent mounds & temples, the whole forming an exposition of one of the phases of phallic, or sex worship (sometimes ascribed to Hargraves Jennings)
- 1902: Annotations on the Sacred Writings of the Hindus, being an epitome of some of the most remarkable and leading tenets in the faith of the Hindu people