At first glance, it is difficult to conceive of Nos Invisibles (1907) as a controversial text. Its pages contain dreamy ruminations on the quest for spiritual serenity and “the mystery of eternal life”, interspersed with elegant illustrations by the Italian watercolourist Raffaele Mainella that conjure celestial bodies and the healing power of nature. But, as the old adage goes, looks can be deceiving. For a start, the author of Nos Invisibles — a certain Charles d’Orino — is in fact a nom de plume for…

Read the full article in The Public Domain Review, available online here.