Emma, Lady Hamilton  

"Having once condescended to become the living representative of the most voluptuous characters of the Grecian mythology, she made no scruple of giving to each libidinous figure all the force and attraction of the naked truth. In the present instance, it is certain that the variety of characters sustained, and the captivating attitudes assumed to diffuse a bewitching allurement into the form and expression, suited to the personification of a Calypso, a Bacchante, and a Venus, were attended with pernicious consequences to a female, who, in her attempts to excel in this particular line, lost the sense of virtue, and became completely skilled in the arts of intrigue and duplicity."--Lady Hamilton's Memoirs () by various

"William Hamilton's popularity in Naples no doubt also has to do with Emma, his extremely young hostess and mistress. She is 26 when she arrives in Naples, "sold" to Hamilton by his cousin. Emma is a British socialite of delicious beauty; she is painted in classic poses several times in England. We do not know who came up with the brilliant idea of having her pose in Naples for the invited guests in imitation of ancient sculptures, Greek vases, Baroque paintings and mythological literature. But the fact that she assumes these poses, which she calls "attitudes," without underwear and covered only by gossamer robes, does not escape the attention of the invitees, among whom are such illustrious names as Goethe. Right-minded Europe is outraged of course. Hamilton will later make Emma his wife, although he is twice her age. But he does not stop showing her off. Later, when the famous Lord Nelson has his eye on her, he is - so lore has it - honored. Emma is so well known that both Rowlandson and Gillray dedicate a caricature to her."--A History of Erotica (2011) by Jan-Willem Geerinck

"Emma, Lady Hamilton is an Englishwoman of about 20 and is very beautiful and well built. She has a Greek dress made for her which suits her wonderfully. She lets her hair down, takes a couple of shawls, and presents such a variety of poses, gestures, expressions, etc., that one finally wonders whether one is dreaming. Accomplishments vainly attempted by many artists were here seen finished, spontaneous and in surprising variety: standing, kneeling, sitting, lying, serious, sad, teasing, voluptuous, repentant, enticing, menacing, anxious and so on, one follows after another. She changes the drapery of her scarves and makes a hundred different head-dresses with one and the same piece of material. The old Knight holds the lights for her, and is wholly absorbed in the business. He sees in her all the antiques, the beautiful profiles of Sicilian coins, and even the Apollo of Belvedere. Anyway, it is a delightful entertainment, and we enjoyed it two evenings. This morning she is being painted by Tischbein."--Italian Journey (1816–17), Goethe, cited in Sexual Life in England: Past and Present (1936)

"Emma accompanied him to Italy, where she so perfected herself in her art under his guidance that her enchanted teacher married her the following year, and thus she was admitted at court. Here she soon became of influence, due mainly to her intimate friendship with Caroline, Queen of Naples, whose debaucheries made the court of Naples a modern Capri, as described in a rather exaggerated fashion in the Marquis de Sade’s Justine et Juliette. According to the result of the critical revision of Gorani and Coletta’s statements by Moritz Brosch, Caroline undoubtedly deserved to be named the ‘ Messalina of Naples ’, for besides many love-affairs with different men, she was passionately in love with her friend Emma Hamilton. They were inseparable, and vied with each other in organising luxurious feasts and in devising and planning new and artistic amusements. There, also, Emma found many admirers, and was in no wise insensible to them: Lord Bristol, the Bishop of Derry (an ingenious, lively, coarse-witted man, whose rich assortment of anecdotes and bon mots seemed to be inexhaustible), had the honour of being one of her lovers."--Sexual Life in England: Past and Present (1936)