Gourmont, Remy de: The Natural Philosophy of Love, v.1, 9 June 2008.
Remy de Gourmont (1858-1915)
The Natural Philosophy of Love (Tr. Ezra Pound, 1922).
(This has also appeared as ‘the Natural History of Love’.)
(Physique de l’amour: essai sur l’instinct sexuel)
Translated by Ezra Pound (1885-1972).
A detailed survey of sexual activity in nature--including birds, bees, rabbits (very fierce lovers, apparently) and people. De Gourmont argues that sexual activity is natural, ubiquitous and varied; hence the only sexual perversion is abstinence.
Given that de Gourmont had reclusive tendencies, this would make him a pervert. Ezra Pound, on the other hand, was the opposite.
The author and the translator were both notable poets.
However, you may find some of the descriptions unduly anthropomorphised and a bit prurient. They have very strange views about some things. Pound’s spelling is idiosyncratic.
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