Douglas was educated at Uppingham School and the Karlsruhe Gymnasium in Baden. His early interest in science led to the publication of many papers in journals such as the Zoologist and his interest continued throughout his life. In 1894, he entered the diplomatic service and was posted to Russia. In 1896, he abruptly left the service, purportedly as the result of an indiscreet sexual affair (possibly homosexual). He settled in Naples in 1897 and married his cousin in 1898 who bore him two sons. In 1901, he published his first book, Unprofessional Tales, which did not sell. Divorced in 1903, he moved to Capri, where he produced pamphlets on the island's topography and history. He also survived by selling travel articles to English periodicals. He returned to England in 1910 and in 1911 published Siren Land, a travel book which received wide critical acclaim. From 1912 to 1916 he was the editor of the English Review. During this period, he also produced two more of his highly popular travel books, Fountains in the Sand (1912) and Old Calabria (1915). In 1916, he was arrested for sexual misconduct involving a young boy and fled the country to avoid trial. In 1917, he published his most successful work, South Wind, a novel which the critics applauded. In 1920, he published his second novel, They Went, a mythological fantasy which did not do as well as its predecessor. In 1922, he settled in Florence and for the next decade produced numerous works including pamphlets on a number of subjects. He also had an ongoing literary feud with D.H. Lawrence. In 1933, he published his autobiography, Looking Back. In 1937, he was again forced to flee due to a sexual scandal. He returned to Capri in 1946 and remained there until his death, said to have been a suicide, in 1952. His works include London Street Games (1916), Alone (1921), In the Beginning (1927), Some Limericks (1928), One Day (1929), Paneros (1930), Three of Them (1930), Late Harvest (1946) and Footnote on Capri (1952). |
