The most famous erotic novel in the French language, apart from those of the Marquis, is "Gamiani", attributed to Alfred de Musset. This book, hardly heard of in modern England, went through forty one editions before 1930. In one preface it is claimed that the author wrote it to prove that an erotic novel could be written without resort to "coarse" words.

The theme in "Gamiani" - the title is from the surname of the heroine- is largely lesbian. A young man inadvertently witnesses a lesbian scene, whereupon he comes out of the cupboard and joins in. Most of the book is occupied with the ensuing love triangle. One scene has Gamiani climbing onto the erection of a just hanged man. The plot ends with the two lesbians taking poison and experiencing orgasm and death simultaneously. A happy tale.