# John Cleland

## Biography

John Cleland, an English novelist, was born in Kingston upon Thames in 1709. He received his education at Westminster School before embarking on a career with the East India Company, serving in Bombay from 1728 to 1740. Upon his return to England, Cleland faced significant financial difficulties, leading to his imprisonment for debt in Fleet Prison. It was during this period that he finalized his most famous work, the erotic novel Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, commonly known as Fanny Hill, which was published in 1748. The controversial nature of the book led to his arrest and subsequent suppression of the novel, though it also brought him a measure of notoriety. Despite a small pension he later received, Cleland struggled financially throughout his life. He continued to write plays, essays, and other novels, none of which achieved the same recognition or success as Fanny Hill. He passed away in London in 1789.

## Books

- [Memoirs Of Fanny Hill: A New and Genuine Edition from the Original Text (London, 1749)](https://samolit.com/books/95915)