From the Top Shelf - The Pearl

The Pearl, the underground magazine of Victorian England, has been published in its entirety as a single book. Called "a journal of voluptuous reading" by the publishers, the three volumes of six issues each contain serialized novels, short stories, letters, jokes, poems and much more.

Here is a tantalizing snippet from a serialized novel called Lady Pokingham, or They All Do It.

Christmas came, and with it arrived several visitors, all young ladies and gentlemen of about our own ages, to spend the festive season with us; our entire party consisted of five gentlemen and seven ladies.

New Year's Day was Frederick's eighteenth birthday, and we determined to hold a regular orgy that night in our corridor. Plenty of refreshments were laid in stock, ices, sandwiches, and champagne.

Frederick was master of the ceremonies, with Alice as a most useful assistant... When all had assembled in Alice's apartment, they found her attired in a simple, long chemise de nuit.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said. "I believe we are all agreed for an out and out romp; you see my costume, how do you like it?" and a most wicked smile, "I hope it does not display the contour of my figure too much," drawing it tightly about her so as to show the outline of her beautiful buttocks, and also displaying a pair or ravishing legs in pink silk stockings.

"Bravo! Bravo! Bravo Alice! We will follow your example," burst from all sides. Each one skipped back to his or her room and reappeared in mufti; but the tails of the young gentlemen's shirts caused a deal of laughter, by being too short.

Alice said, "Well, I'm sure, gentlemen, I did not think your undergarments were so indecently short."

Frederick, with a laugh, caught hold of Alice's chemise, and tore a great piece off all around, so that she was in quite a short smock, which only half-covered her fair bottom.

Alice was crimson with blushes, and half-inclined to be angry, but recovering herself, she laughed, "Ah! Fred, what a shame to serve me so, but I don't mind if you make us all alike." The girls screamed, and the gentlemen made a rush; it was a most exciting scene. The young ladies retaliated by tearing the shirts of their tormentors, and this first skirmish only ended when the whole company was reduced to a complete state of nudity. All were in blushes as they gazed upon the variety of male and female charms exposed to view.

Frederick, advancing with a bumper of champagne, said, "We've all heard of Nuda Veritas, now let's drink to her health. The first time we are in her company, I'm sure she will be most charming and agreeable."

All joined in this toast, the wine inflamed our desires, and there was not a male member present but what was in a glorious state of erection.

"Look, ladies," said Alice, "what a lot of impudent fellows, they need not think we are going to surrender anyhow to their youthful lust. They shall all be blindfolded, and then we will arm ourselves with good birch rods, and then let it be everyone for themselves and Cupid's dart for us all."

"Hear, hear," responded on all sides, and handkerchiefs were soon tied over their eyes, and seven good birch rods handed round to the ladies.

"Now, gentlemen, catch who you can," laughed Alice, slashing left and right into the manly group, her example being followed by the other girls. The room was quite large enough, and a fine romp ensued.

The girls were as lithe and active as young fawns, and for a long time sorely tried the patience of their male friends, who tumbled about in all directions, only to get an extra dose of birch on their plump posteriors before they could regain their feet.

At last, the Honorable Miss Vavasour stumbled over a prostrate gentleman, who happened to be the young Marquis of Bucktown, who grasped her firmly round the waist, and clung to his prize, as a shower of cuts greeted the writhing pair.