“It is extraordinarily alive … The book remains a clear and definite book of our epoch, not to be swept aside.” – D.H. Lawrence“One of the most extraordinary achievements in English literature.” – A.J.A. Symons“Frederick Rolfe alias Baron Corvo is certainly one of the most fascinating of those various literary curiosities of England.” – Saturday ReviewFrederick William Rolfe, who styled himself “Baron Corvo” and who published under the slightly misleading abbreviati...

'If there be one place in all this orb of earth where a secret is a Secret, that place is a Roman Conclave'Part novel, part daydream, part diatribe, this strange masterpiece tells the story of George Arthur Rose, a poor, frustrated writer who lives in a shabby bedsit, saving his cigarette ends and eating soup - until one day he is made Pope. As the first English pontiff in five centuries, he is a mass of contradictions: infallible and petulant, humble and despotic....

In 'Hadrian the Seventh', Frederick Rolfe weaves a rich tapestry of historical fiction, blending the realms of fantasy and spirituality with the real-world implications of power and the ecclesiastical hierarchy of early 20th-century Europe. The novel follows the improbable ascension of George Arthur Rose, an unconventional Englishman who unexpectedly becomes the Pope. Rolfe's unique literary style fuses vivid imagery with lush, baroque prose, immersing readers in a world steeped in the com...

George Arthur Rose aspired to the priesthood, but after being much abused and taken advantage of for many years by his Catholic brothers, he finds himself disillusioned with humanity. But just as the secret conclave in Rome is deadlocked in the election of the next Pope, he finds himself rediscovered. A compromise in the election results in Rose being chosen for the office, and he styles himself as Hadrian the Seventh. With his new authority, he implements church reforms and a program to b...

In "Hadrian the Seventh," Frederick Rolfe delves into the fantastical and often surreal realm of a fictional pope, who, after a life of obscure failure, suddenly ascends to the papacy. The novel presents a rich tapestry of religious and existential themes, utilizing a poignant, flamboyant literary style that is both baroque and lyrical. Rolfe constructs an intricately layered narrative that explores the nature of power, identity, and spiritual awakening, set against the backdrop of a socie...

Frederick Rolfe's Hadrian the Seventh (1904) is a singular fantasy of ecclesiastical power, psychological revenge, and spiritual self-fashioning. Its hero, George Arthur Rose, an impoverished Englishman denied the priesthood, is unexpectedly elevated to the papacy and becomes Hadrian VII. Written in a richly mannered, baroque prose, the novel mingles Catholic ceremonial, political speculation, satire, and Decadent self-dramatization, standing at an eccentric angle to Edwardian fiction and ...

Frederick Rolfe's 'Hadrian the Seventh' is a captivating historical novel that follows the life of George Arbuthnot, an Englishman who unexpectedly becomes Pope, taking on the name Hadrian VII. Rolfe's literary style in this work is characterized by intricate descriptions and rich character development, immersing readers in the world of the Vatican and European politics in the early 20th century. The novel seamlessly weaves together elements of history, religion, and personal ambition, cre...

Once upon a time, Caesars were masters of the world; and the genius of Divus Julius, of Divus Augustus, was worshipped everywhere on altars. There are Cesarini at this day in Rome, cosa grande ch’ il sole, masters of wide domains, but not of empires. Once upon time, Buonaparte held Europe in its grip. Buonaparte at this day keeps exile in Muscovy or Flanders. Once upon a time, the Sforza were sovereigns-regnant; and of their daughters were made an empress and a queen. There are Sforza at t...

Hadrian the Seventh imagines the obscure English aspirant George Arthur Rose unexpectedly elected pope and ruling as Hadrian VII. Fusing meticulous liturgical detail with barbed satire, the novel stages reforms of the Curia, audacious diplomacy, and personal redress. Rolfe's prose is luxuriant and Latinate—ceremonial inventories, scholastic tags, and high comedy—yet steered by cool logic. Set at the fin de siècle, it converses with English Catholic revivalism and Decadent aesthetics while ...

"Hadrian the Seventh: A Romance" by Frederick Rolfe delves into the eccentric world of the papacy with biting satire and profound insight. The novel follows the journey of an unconventional protagonist, who unexpectedly ascends to the papal throne as Hadrian the Seventh. Rolfe's work intertwines elements of religion, politics, and intrigue within the hallowed halls of the Vatican, offering a unique perspective on the complexities of power and identity. Set against the backdrop of ecclesias...

In "Hadrian the Seventh," Frederick Rolfe explores the intricacies of the human psyche through the lens of a fictional papal election. The novel follows the journey of a Protestant writer who unexpectedly finds himself elected as Pope Hadrian VII. Rolfe's writing is imbued with rich, evocative language that juxtaposes grandeur with absurdity, reflecting the complexities of faith, identity, and the institutional Church. As a work of modernist literature, it engages with themes of power, red...

Frederick Rolfe's Chronicles of the House of Borgia is a vivid, revisionist study of one of Renaissance Italy's most maligned dynasties. Blending historical narrative with apologetic argument, Rolfe revisits the careers of Pope Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia, and Lucrezia Borgia in order to challenge the sensational legends that long surrounded them. The book's style is ornate, polemical, and intensely learned, reflecting both fin-de-siècle decadence and a serious engagement with documentary ...