From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
John Cleland (1709-January 23, 1789) was an English novelist.
Cleland was born in London and educated at Westminster School, then travelled abroad in the service of the East India Company. His fortunes dwindled, he became a vagrant and spent time in prison. In 1750, he published Fanny Hill: or the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, which, even at the time, was considered pornographic. It was also a best-seller, and became the subject of a famous court case two hundred years later.
Other works
