Charles Gildon, writer, was forced to become a professional hack through financial necessity but in his early career enjoyed the company of popular authors including John Dryden, John Dennis, Aphra Behn, and William Wycherley. The Roman Catholic faith of his family background and childhood was first rejected by Gildon in favour of deism (for which he was castigated by Defoe) before his conversion, in 1698, to the Anglican Church. Like many of the more talented hack writers of this period, Gildon was a versatile author; his publications included prose essays, verse, plays, biographies, criticism and translations, as well as short fictional tales such as The Golden Spy (1709) and All for the Better (1720). In 1711 Gildon was appointed as …