Annie's Arturo Onofri on the art of the self mentions just two artists who
wrote in English, Whitman and - Carpenter.
Poor old Edward Carpenter, nowadays almost unread, wrote Towards Democracy
(1883), a free-verse and prose compilation inspired by Leaves of Grass.
The complete edition of 1905 was much reprinted by Allen and Unwin.
American editions also until some time after 1945.
His essays were admired by Tolstoy ("a worthy heir of Carlyle and Ruskin"),
and TD was translated into German, French, Italian (1912), Japanese, etc.
Influenced E.M.Forster and D.H.Lawrence.
He celebrated the open air, the body, same-sex love, brotherhood, 'the ocean
of sex', ancient Greek and modern Mediterranean nudity, Ceylon and its
mystics...and introduced sandal-wearing to England.
Biography by Chushichi Tsuzuki: EC 1844-1929: Prophet of Human Fellowship
|