This is the heavily edited version of Beardsley's bawdy novelette, Venus and Tannhauser. This version first appeared serialized in Leonard Smither's journal, The Savoy. The full/very naughty version was published by Smithers in 1907, without the illustrations, ten years after Beardsley's death and against his dying wishes. Smithers may be forgiven, as he at least seemed genuinely to have cared for Beardsley, giving him hope - and work - in his few remaining years (Smithers was also at death and destitution's door at the time of publication).

This edition, also neutered, is an example of timid John Lane's feeding off the bounty of the dead artist he fired from The Yellow Book staff two years before his death. Both Smithers and Beardsley were dead when Lane published Under the Hill. ( )