MANLEY, MRS. MARY DE LA RIVIERE (1663 or 1672-1724)

—Novelist, dramatist, and political writer, dau. of Sir Roger Manley, was decoyed into a bigamous connection with her cousin, John M. Her subsequent career was one of highly dubious morality, but considerable literary succe . Her principal works are The New A talant is ( sic ) (1709), a satire in which great liberties were taken with Whig notabilities, Memoirs of Europe (1710), and Court Intrigues (1711). She also wrote three plays, The Royal Mischief , The Lost Lover , and Lucius , and conducted the Examiner . In her writings she makes great havoc with cla ical names and even with spelling. She was a vivacious and effective political writer.