1st edition title page

Fille de Joye

French Translations

Copyright © 2003 Sheryl Perry


John Cleland was born in England in 1709. He attended Westminster School where he achieved King's Scolar in 1722. He was later employed in the British Consular service at Smyrna and in 1736 he worked for the East India company in Bombay, Inda. By 1746 he was back in England but the world evidently turned against him as he soon found himself serving a prison term in Fleet debtor's prison.

While in prison John Cleland composed one of the longest banned, most reprinted, most well-known novel in history, Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (also known as Fanny Hill). And he wrote the story not for monetary gain (Cleland in fact earned only 21 pounds), and not because he particularly liked erotica, but he wrote it largely because he was bored sitting in prison day after day.

In November of 1748 Thomas Parker printed for publisher Ralph Griffiths {who used the pseudonym G. Fenton) the first volume of Cleland's Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, with the second volume following in February of 1749. By Novemer of the same year a warrant was issued for the arrest of Thomas Parker, Ralph Griffiths and John Cleland. However, it appears the case for obscenity was never pursued against the three men.

One of the earliest verifiable prosecutions against Fanny Hill in the United States occured in 1819 against printer/publisher Peter Holmes (Commonwealth v. Peter Holmes, 17 Mass. 335). The court found the illustrated book to be lewd and obscene and so fined Peter Holmes $300 plus court costs of $75.53, and ordered him to post a $500 bond. Shortly thereafter in April of 1820 Stillman Howe was sentenced to one day solitary confinement and 6 months hard labor for selling copies of what appear to be the same edition. It wasn't until 1966 (Memoirs v. Massachusetts, 383 U.S. 413) that the 1819 finding was overturned due to the new definition of obscenity defined eleven years prior in the 1957 case Roth v. United States 354 U.S. 476

On April 11, 1779 James Boswell speaks of meeting nearly 70 year old Cleland: "Found him, in an old house in the Savoy, just by the waterside. A coarse, ugly old man for his servant. His room, filled with books in confusion and dust was like Dupont's and old Lady Eglinton's, at least old ideas were suggested to me as if I were in a castle. He was drinking tea and eating biscuits. I joined him. He had a rough cap like Rousseau, and his eyes were black and piercing...A sly, old malcontent". John Cleland died 10 years later in London.


Notes to the Checklist

The checklist covers only those French translations published between 1751 and 1950. The entries are sorted by the year shown on the title page, even though the edition may have been published earlier or later; and where that's known it will be noted in brackets. If the title page lacks a year but an estimated date of publication is known the estimated date is used. Those titles without a date and without an estimated publication date are listed at the end of the checklist.



  1. LA | FILLE [red] | DE | JOYE [red]. | Ouvrage quintessencié de l'An– | glois. | [vignette] | A LAMPSAQUE, [red] | 1751.

    [First French Edition]. 8vo. 172pp. Monogram on title page printed in red and black.

    Very much abridged. Per Gay the translator's name is Lambert, son of a Paris banker. Reprinted by Fischaber of Stuttgart about 1860.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.72, #1.  Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-290)

  2. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, écrits par elle-même. Tome I. A Londres: Chez Les Marchands de Nouveautés. MDCCXXXVI. (1736) [Brussels: c.1860]

    Large 12mo. 2 volumes. 92pp, 84pp. 15 engravings from the 1776 edition (Ashbee #4).

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.79, #13)

  3. NOUVELLE TRADUCTION | de | WOMAN of PLEASUR | ou | FILLE de JOYE | de M. CLELAND | Contenant | Les Mémoires de Mlle. Fanny | écrits par Elle-memme | Avec XV. Planches en taille douce | Partie. I. | [double rule w/end posts] | LONDRES: | Chez G. FENTON dans le Strand | MDCCLXX. (1770)

    8vo. 2 volumes in one. Part 1: 1-88pp w/7 engravings; Part 2: 89-170pp w/6 engravings. Each part has an engraved titlepage w/fancy border. 2 identical frontispieces (1 to each part).

    View the engravings

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.76, #10.  British Library: P.C.30.d.12.  Kinsey: )

  4. NOUVELLE TRADUCTION | DE | LA FILLE | DE JOYE. | Par Mr. CLELAND, | CONTENANT | Les Mémoires de Mlle. | FANNY, écrite par elle- | même. | AVEC FIGURES. | [decorative rule] PREMIERE PARTIE. [decorative rule] | [ornament] | LONDRES, | [decorative rule] | M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    In-18 (130 x 80 mm) 2 volumes in one. Part 1: 5-111pp w/frontispiece + 8 engravings; Part 2: 5-128pp w/frontispiece + 5 engravings. The plates are hors texte on thick white paper engraved by Elluin after Borel. Printed on blue tinted, thin laid paper. Known as the Cazin edition.

    Based on the copy I viewed on Gallica, the illustrations in that book have the frontispiece + 4 engravings in the first part and, no frontispiece + 9 engravings in the second part.

    View the engravings

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.73, #3.  Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-291.  Bibliothèque Erotique Gérard Nordmann, Christies Sale #5445 / Lot 96, April 27, 2006)

  5. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou, Fille de Joie. Par M. Cleland, Contenant les Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, écrits par elle-méme. Avec Figures. Tome Premier. A Londres: M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    12mo. 2 volumes. Vol.1: 111pp. Vol.2: 128pp. Half-title: Mémoires de Miss Fanny, &c. Title heads pages. 15 engravings similar to the Cazin edition.

    The images do not correspond with the English text but the French text has been made to suit them.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.74, #4)

  6. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou, Fille de Joie. Par M. Cleland, Contenant les Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, écrits par elle-méme. Avec Figures. Tome Premier. A Londres: M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    12mo. 2 volumes. Vol.1: 107pp. Vol.2: 116pp. Title heads pages. 8 engravings copied from the Cazin edition.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.74, #5)

  7. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou, Fille de Joie. Par M. Cleland, Contenant les Mémoires de Mlle, Fanny, écrits par elle-méme. Avec Figures. Tome Premier. A Londres: M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    12mo. 2 volumes. Vol.1: 107pp. Vol.2: 116pp. 8 engravings from the Cazin edition. Title does not head the pages.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.74, #6)

  8. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou, Fille de Joie. Par M. Cleland, Contenant les Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, écrits par elle-méme. Avec Figures. Tome Premier. A Londres: M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    12mo. 2 volumes. Vol.1: 107pp. Vol.2: 115pp. 2(?) engravings (not from the Cazin edition), 1 each volume.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.74, #7)

  9. NOUVELLE TRADUCTION DE LA FILLE DE JOYE

    Par Mr. Cleland, Contenant Les Mémoires de Mlle. Fanny, écrite [sic] par elle–même. Avec Figures. Premiere Partie. Londres: M.DCC.LXXVI. (1776)

    12mo. 2 volumes in one. 101pp., 116pp. Title page framed. Frontispiece + 3 engravings in the first volume only [not of the Cazin edition].

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.74, #8)

  10. NOUVELLE TRADUCTION DE WOMAN OF PLEASUR

    Par M. Cleland, Contenant Les Mémoires de Mlle. Fanny, écrite [sic] par elle–même. Avec des Planches en taille douce. Pre Partie Londres: M.DCCLXXVII. (1777)

    In-4. 235pp. 35 engravings, including the two frontis pieces attributed to Delroche. Not quoted by Dutel (per auction description)

    (Dourot 21 May 2021: Sale 2, lot 281.)

  11. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny écrits par elle-même. Paris: Chez Madame Gourdan, 1786.

    8vo. 2 volumes in one. Continuous pagination. 235pp. 37 engravings hors-texte, printed in yellowish-brown on thick laid paper, not signed. 1 frontispiece, 2 engraved title pages, 34 illustrations numbered 1-33 (1 illustration numbered "5 bis") and 2 tail-pieces announcing the end of each part.

    Ashbee states the engravings are not by Borel and Eluin; but are in the same style and possibly by the same artist as those in Therese Philosophe the large 8vo. edition without date, in L'Academie des Dames. (See the entry in Ashbee for further detailed description of this edition). Reprinted in 1881 at Brussels by Gay and Doucé

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.76, #11.  Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-292.  Bibliothèque Erotique Gérard Nordmann, Christies Sale: #5445 / Lot 97, April 27, 2006 and Sale #5447 / Lot 134, December 14, 2006)

  12. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny écrits par elle-même. Tome Premier. Amsterdam et Paris: [n.p.], 1788 [Brussels: 1872 or 73].

    Small 8vo. 2 volumes in one. 98pp., 100pp. Contains a reproduction in bistre, and 15 plates by photography from the 1860 edition, of which this is a reprint.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.79, #14.  Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-1015.  British Library: P.C.26.b.13)

  13. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, Écrits pare elle-même. Nouvelle Edition. Avec Figures. Tome Premier. A Londres, 1790.

    12mo. 2 volumes in one. 143pp., 142pp. 15 engravings (although the last is numbered 16).

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.75, #9.  Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-293 and ENFER-294)

  14. NOUVELLE TRADUCTION DE WOMAN OF PLEASUR

    [sic]

    Ou, Fille de Joie, par M. Cleland, contenant les Mémoires de Mademoiselle Fanny, écrits par elle–même. Avec figures. Londres: chez G. Fenton, dans le Strand [Paris?: Cazin], 1793.

    Bound with the first edition of "Amours de Louise–Marie–Thérèse-Mathurine d'Orléans, duchesse de Bourbon, suivis de ses aventures et de ses correspondances galantes", with the imprint of Volupté, au Château des Délices, 1790.

    In-12 (128 x 75 mm). Part 1: 108pp. Part 2: 125pp. Amours: 66pp. Frontispiece with a portrait of the Duchess of Bourbon + 15 figures engraved by François–Rolland Elluin according to the drawings of Antoine Borel.

    A reissue by Cazin of an anonymous translation he previously published in 1776 [See # 4]. This reprint uses the original copperplates of the 1776 Elluin–Borel illustrations.

    (Bibliothèque Erotique Gérard Nordmann, Christies Sale: #5445 / Lot 98, April 27, 2006 and Sale # 5447 / Lot 138, December 14, 2006)

  15. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ouvrage quintessencié de l'Anglois. Cologne: Chez Pierre Marteau [Fischaber of Stuttgart], [n.d. c.1860]

    12mo. 108pp.

    An abridged reprint of the 1751 edition.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.72, #2.  Kinsey: 843.6 M66 1866)

  16. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, écrits par elle-même. tome premier. London: Imprimerie de la Société Cosmopolite, MDCCCLXXX (1880) [Amsterdam: Augustin Brancart, 1891]

    8vo. 2 volumes in one. 230pp.

    (Dutel: 300)

  17. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, Écrits par elle-même. Tome Premier. Londres: Imprimerie de la Société Cosmopolite, MDCCCLXXX (1880) [Paris: Jean Fort, 1913 or 1914]

    8vo. 2 volumes in one. 76pp (or 142?). Printed by J. Dardaillon in a limited edition of 500 copies. Numberous head pieces by Louis Malteste. Stereotypes by Paul Avril from a prior edition.

    (Dutel: 301)

  18. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, écrits par elle-même. Boston: Chez William Morning, [n.d.] [Brussels: Gay and Doucé, 1881]

    8vo. vi + 157pp. A reprint of the 1786 edition, including the plates.

    (Ashbee: Vol.3 p.79, #12.  Dutel: 298.  Bibliothèque Nationale: GD-4238)

  19. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, écrits par elle-même. Boston: chez William Morning. [Bound with:] Therese philosophe ou memoires pour servir a l'histoire du P. Dirrag et de Mademoiselle Eradice. La Haye: [1880 ?].

    12mo. vi + 157pp. 7 pen and watercolor drawings. [Therese]: viii + 171pp. 10 pen and watercolor drawings.

    (Bibliothèque Erotique Gérard Nordmann, Christies Sale #5445 / Lot 139, December 14, 2006)

  20. FILLE DE JOIE, LA

    Ou Mémoires de Miss Fanny, écrits par elle-même. Melbourne [Brussels?]: imprimerie de la Societe des Bibliophiles Australiens, 1883

    8vo. vii + 197pp.

    (Dutel: 299)

  21. MÉMOIRES DE FANNY HILL

    ...entièrement traduits de l'anglais pour la première fois par Isidore Liseux. Paris: (Isidore Liseux), 1887.

    8vo. x + 327pp. Illustrations.

    (Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-127)

  22. MÉMOIRES D'UNE FILLE DE JOIE

    Paris: P. [Paul] Fort, 1902

    18mo. 261pp. Illustrations.

    (Bibliothèque Nationale: 8-Y2-21035)

  23. MÉMOIRES DE FANNY HILL

    [S.I.: n.p., n.d.] [Paris?: Hirsch? Carrington?, c.1906].

    2 volumes on Hollande, published with the Isidore Liseux imprint [false]. 12 engravings by Van Maele done in 2 states, b/w and color and additional illustrations by Paul Avril

    Details are from a bookseller holding at Chapitre.com 8/11/04.

    (Importante Bibliothèque d'Ouvrages Érotiques; Hotel Drouot, Salle No. 13, 11 Mars 1987, #259)

  24. MÉMOIRS DE FANNY HILL

    Entièrement traduits de l'Anglais par Isidore Liseux. Réimpression textuelle de l'edition de Paris, 1887. Paris: n.p., 1906 [Charles Hirsch]

    2 volumes on Hollande. Vol.1: 157pp. Vol.2: 168pp. Limited edition of 300 copies. 12 engravings by Martin Van Maele done in 2 states, b/w and color plus aditional illustrations by Paul Avril.

    Some details are from a bookseller holding at Chapitre.com 8/11/04. Copies of these plates also appear in remainder copies published in 1888 by Liseux (English edition) and some in the French 1887 edition, from which this present book is reprinted from.

    (Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-1330.  Libertine Literature Parke-Bernet Galleries, Sale No.3194, April 27, 1971, #54.  Importante Bibliothèque d'Ouvrages Érotiques. Hotel Drouot, Salle No.13, 1987, #48)

  25. MÉMOIRES DE FANNY HILL

    Traduit de l'anglais par Isidore Liseux. Bruxelles: [n.p., n.d., c.1940].

    8vo. 2 volumes. 118pp., 126pp. Limited edition of 550 copies. 10 watercolors reproduced in heliogravure, with 2 frontispieces by Paul-Émile Bécat.

    (Dutel: 1960.  Importante Bibliothèque d'Ouvrages Érotiques; Hotel Drouot, Salle No. 13, 11 Mars 1987, #50.)

  26. MÉMOIRES DE FANNY HILL

    Paris: F. Schmid, (1948).

    8vo. 254pp.

    (Bibliothèque Nationale: ENFER-1380)








Sources Used

•   Ashbee, Henry Spencer. Bibliography of Prohibited Books. New York: Jack Brussel, 1962

•   Bibliothèque Erotique Gérard Nordmann, Christies Sale #5445, April 27, 2006

•   Bibliothèque Nationale of France. http://www.bnf.fr

•   British Library. http://catalogue.bl.uk

•   Dutel, Jean-Pierre. Bibliographie des ouvrages érotiques 1880-1920. Paris: 2002.

•   Dutel, Jean-Pierre. Bibliographie des ouvrages érotiques 1920-1970. Paris: 2005.

•   Eros invaincu. La bibliothèque Gérard Nordmann. Genève: Fondation Martin Bodmer, 2004

•   Importante Bibliothèque d'Ouvrages Érotiques: Hotel Drouot, Salle No.13, 1987

•   Kinsey Institute. http://www.kinseyinstitute.org

•   Libertine Literature. Parke-Bernet Galleries, Sale No.3194, April 27, 1971