17th Century Literature

The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette ~ First published in March 1678, this created quite the fuss at the court of Louis XIV. Set at the court of Henri II, it tells the story of Madame de Cleves and a secret love affair. This novel was an enormous commercial success at the time of its publication, and would-be readers outside of Paris had to wait months to receive copies.

 

The School Of Venus by Michel Millot and Jean L’Ange ~ First published in 1655, this scandalous manual on how to sex was swiftly forbidden to print.