Enigmatic gender in Delarivier Manley's New Atalantis

When the second volume of Delarivier Manley's 'The New Atalantis' appeared in October 1709, it caused a sensation. It was perhaps to be expected that a Tory roman a clef that made risque suggestions about the intimate affairs of the Whig ministers and their families would have made a stir. However, it is not immediately apparent why this text created such a furore... [opening paragraph]