Manley, Mary de la Rivière

Manley, Mary de la Rivière, 1663–1724, English author, one of the first women to earn a living by writing. Notorious because of her marriage to her cousin, who was already married and who later deserted her, she turned to literature and avenged herself on society by writing several scandalous memoirs disguised as prose romances. The New Atalantis (1709), her most notable book, abused every prominent member of the Whig party then in power and involved her in a court suit. She collaborated with Swift on various Tory pamphlets and in 1711 succeeded him as editor of the Examiner.