At once an essential foundational work of comparative mythology and a quaint Victorian novelty, this is a straightforward, unsensational, scholarly look at the beliefs and practices of fertility worship and the veneration of the human sexual organs-both male and female-throughout history, yet one that is very much a product of the straitlaced times in which it was produced. While quoting extensively from classic and contemporary sources-from Euripides to Voltaire-and delving into the beliefs and rituals of ancient religions from around the globe, Jennings simultaneously reveals his utter distaste for all things sexual, making this one of the most fascinating books on the subject of "nature worship" ever written.British writer and amateur occultist HARGRAVE JENNINGS (1817-1890) is also the author of Indian Religions, or Results of the Mysterious Buddhism (1858), Curious Things of the Outside World: Last Fire (1861), and The Obelisk: Notices of the Origin, Purpose and History of Obelisks (1877).