It's been remarked on this blog a number of times that whilst it is always possible to read over the past our own desires it is actually quite rare to find genuinely homo-erotic or homo-romantic items from the early 20th century or before... So it was a complete delight when the lovely Elin decided to share her copy of Edward Carpenter's Iolaus: The Anthology of Friendship and the inscription therein. Of course we can't know for sure but I'm fairly convinced that, given the context of the book, known in the book trade at the time as The Buggers' Bible, The giving of a book with Omnia Vincit Amor from Gordon to Tony at the end of the First World War, probably signifies more than platonic friendship. It's a lovely thing and, I think, a rare thing.
And how lovely that the only thing that remains of them now should be something as romantic and charming as this inscription.