The Altar of Venus: The Notorious Confession of a Libertine

194pp. Brown cloth-covered boards; gilt titles on spine. 8vo. Cloth rubbed at spine ends, volume a little cocked. Text block edges tanned. Gift inscription on front pastedown, pages tanning otherwise, internally neat, clean and tight. Dust jacket has light shelf wear, mirrors book damage. The Altar of Venus: The Notorious Confession of a Libertine (sometimes published under the title The Altar of Venus: The Erotic Education of an Edwardian Gentleman) is an anonymous erotic novel from the early 20th century. A work of fiction, it purports to be the reminiscences of a rakish Englishman and his sexual encounters and exploits in London and the bordellos of Paris, depicting a culture on a sexual precipice.  Explicit and descriptive, definitely one for an adult audience.