According to Mr. Nichols' the printer's list, there were no less than three hundred and fifty of these _Mercuries_ and _Newes Bookes_ published between 1642 and 1665, a list that would no doubt be largely swollen could the titles of all that have perished and left no trace behind be ascertained. These _Mercuries_ appeared at different intervals, but none oftener than three times a week, and their price was generally one penny, but sometimes twopence. Many of the writers were nothing but venal hirelings, and changed sides readily enough when their own private interests seemed to render it desirable. One of the most famous--or infamous, according to Anthony a Wood, who describes him as 'a most seditious, mutable, and railing writer, siding with the rout and scum of the people, making them weekly sport by railing at all that was noble,' etc.--was Marchmont Nedham. In 1643 he brought out the _Mercurius Britannicus_, one of the ablest periodicals on the Parliamentary side, whatever honest old Anthony may say to the contrary. But, being imprisoned for libel, he thought it best to change his politics, and for two years appeared as an ultra-virulent Royalist partisan in the _Mercurius Pragmaticus_. After the execution of Charles the First, however, he returned to his old party, and advocated their cause in the _Mercurius Politicus_, which purported to be published 'in defence of the commonwealth and for information of the people.' After some years he fell into temporary disgrace, but was soon received again into favor by the House of Commons, which passed a vote in August, 1659, 'that Marchmont Nedham, gentleman, be and hereby is restored to be writer of the _Publick Intelligence_ as formerly.' At the Restoration he was discharged from his office, but contrived to make his peace with the party in power, and, true to his instincts, changed his political creed once more for that of the winning side, but without succeeding in being reinstated in his old post. The other most noteworthy writers of _Mercuries_ were John Birkenhead, author of the _Mercurius Aulicus_, Peter Heylin, Bruno Ryves--all parsons--and John Taylor, the Water Poet, author of the _Mercurius Aquaticus_. Nothing was too great or too small for the writers of these _Mercuries_, nothing too exalted or too mean. Nothing was sacred in their eyes; the most private affairs were dragged into the political arena, and family and domestic matters, that had nothing whatever to do with public life, were paraded before the world. Bitter personalities and invective seem to be inseparable concomitants of the early stage of journalism in all countries. This was the case in France and Germany; it is the case in Russia at the present day. That it was the case in America, let the following extract from Franklin's private correspondence testify: