FAULT OF THE PERSON WHO SUFFERS FROM IT; THEREFORE, HE JUDGED THE BOOK AN OBSCENE LIBEL AND ORDERED ALL COPIES OF IT DESTROYED.

VICTORY IN AMERICA

ON THE HEELS OF THIS ACTION, JOHN S. SUNNER, OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE, PROMPTLY FOLLOWED SUIT, BUT MET WITH A SUDDEN REVERSE WHEN AN AMERICAN COURT DISAGREED WITH THE ENGLISH VERDICT. A BEAUTIFULLY BOUND, NUMBERED, LIMITED AND AUTOGRAPHED TWO-VOLUME EDITION OF THE WELL OF LONELINESS WAS PUBLISHED CELEBRATING THIS VICTORY. THIS NOW PRICELESS COLLECTOR'S ITEM WAS CALLED THE VICTORY EDITION.

ONLY ONCE AGAIN DID MISS HALL ADD TO THE LITERATURE OF LESBIANA WHEN IN 1934 SHE PUBLISHED A VOLUME OF SHORT STORIES, MISS OGILVY FINDS HERSELF. A COUPLE OF THE PIECES IN THIS COLLECTION FORESHADOW THE EARLIER CONTROVERIAL NOVEL.

IT IS POPULAR CONJECTURE THAT MISS HALL WAS THE LIVING, BREATHING MODEL OF STEPHEN GORDON, AND THERE IS MUCH EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT THEORY. MISS HALL WINTERED IN PARIS AND AT A VILLA IN NORTHERN ITALY, AND SUMMERED IN RYE, SUSSEX. EACH OF THESE THREE HOMES APPEAR AS THE HOMES OF STEPHEN GORDON, HER LITERARY HEROINE.

ONE GLANCE AT THE SEVERELY TAILORED GRAY SUIT, WHITE SHIRT, AND MAN'S TIE WHICH SHE AFFECTED IN ENGLISH SOCIETY, OR THE EVEN MORE SEVERE PANTS, BOOTS, WHITE OPEN-NECKED SHIRTS AND BERETS SHE OFTEN WORE IN PARIS, WILL SHOW THAT SHE USED HER OWN TASTE IN APPAREL AS A MODEL FOR STEPHEN GORDON. THIS IS PARTICULARY APPARENT WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THAT IN FRANCE ONLY MEN WORE BERETS. IN DEDICATING THE BOOK TO "OUR THREE SELVES" SHE INCLUDES HERSELF IN THE LESBIAN WORLD.

SOME OF THE LAST YEARS OF HER LIFE WERE SPENT IN PARIS, WHERE HER CLOSEST FRIENDS WERE DJUNA BARNES, AUTHORESS OF NIGHTWOOD, AND ANAIS NIN, WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED AT LEAST TWO WORKS OF VARIANT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE WORLD. SHE DIED IN LONDON, ON OCTOBER 7, 1943, AFTER A SIX MONTH ILLNESS. HER LAST NOVEL, UNTITLED AND PURPORTEDLY LESBIAN IN THEME, WAS DESTROYED AT HER REQUEST JUST BEFORE SHE DIED. EVEN THE STAID LONDON TIMES HAD VERY KIND WORDS TO SAY ABOUT HER NOW CLASSIC, MANY TIMES REPRINTED THE WELL OF LONELINESS,

GENE DAMON

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