22 THE FIRST ENGLISH “ REVIEW.”

phlets. With a remarkable versatility, he discussed the deepest theological
questions; he wrote against a proposed censorship of the press ; he advocatcd
the claims of authors to a protection of their copyright; he compiled a
wonderfully graphic account of the “ Great Storm” of 1704; and finally, in
the February of that year he began his famous “ Review.

This was a complete novelty in English literature, and may be regarded
as the true precursor of some celebrated periodicals of the present day. It
was at first a quarto sheet, published weekly, at the price of a penny. After
the fourth number it was reduced to half a sheet, but printed in closer type
and in double columns, and sold for twopence. After the eighth number it was
published twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. In due time monthly
supplements were issued, and finally it appeared on Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays. So it continued, written solely by De Foe, for nine years
(February 19, 1704, to June 11, 1718).

Such was its form. Its contents were of the most miscellaneous description.
It dealt largely with politics, but scarcely less largely with morals. It com-
bined both public and personal questions; it corrected the vices, it ridiculed
the follies of the age. As a general indication of its character, we may
summarize the contents of the first volume, omitting those of a political
cast.*

It condemns the prevalent practice of excessive drinking ; it ridicules the
not less prevalent practice of excessive swearing; it censures the laxity
which had crept into the relations of married life; it denounces in no measured
terms the licentiousness of the stage ; it discusses the various questions
affecting trade and pauperism; it inveighs against the mania for gambling
speculations; and it holdly reprobates the barbarous custom of duelling.

All these widely different topics are treated by De Foe unaided, and
the sagacity and vigour evident in every article fill the reader with
wonder at the man’s genius, industry, and multifarious information. The
machinery he adopted for the discussion of non-political matters was a so-
called “Scandal Club,” organized to receive complaints and to decide upon
them. It acted in the following manner :— A gentleman appears before the
club, and complains of his wife. She is a bad wife; he cannot exactly tell
why. There is a long examination, proving nothing; when suddenly a
member of the club begs pardon for the question, and asks if his worship
was a good husband. His worship, greatly surprised at such a question, is
again at a loss to answer. Whereupon the club pass these resolutions :—
1. That most women that are bad wives are made so by bad husbands.
2. That this society will hear no complaints against a virtuous bad wife,
from a vicious good husband. 8. That he that has a bad wife, and can’t
find the reason of it in her, ’tis ten to one that he finds it in himself. And
the decision finally is, that the gentleman is to go home, and be a good
husband for at least three months; after which, if his wife is still uncured

* John Forster, “Biographical Essays,” ii. 55, 56.