The Nonsense of Common-Sense was a short-lived periodical, published in London between December 1737 and March 1738. Thanks to the efforts of twentieth-century scholars, Robert Halsband and Isobel Grundy, its anonymous author is now known to have been Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762). She, unlike her husband Edward, was a loyal supporter of prime minister Robert Walpole and his government. Nonsense represents her most forthright engagement with the partisan debates of her day, though it frequently claims for itself a degree of political neutrality.
The periodical, which ran to nine numbers, was published most regularly – at times weekly – during January 1738; however, its appearances became increasingly sporadic in advance of its eventual demise, with three whole weeks lapsing between the penultimate and final instalments. It has been suggested by Robert Halsband that...
1763 words
Citation: Jones, Emrys Daniel Blakelee. "The Nonsense of Common-Sense". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 April 2008 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=52, accessed 12 December 2025.]
