1691 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1691.

Literary Events and Publications of 1691

This article highlights the significant literary events and publications that took place in 1691.

Events

  • March 17 – The Athenian Mercury begins its twice-weekly publication in London.
  • May 5 – Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle becomes a member of the Académie française.

New Books

Prose

  • Adrien Baillet – La vie de monsieur Descartes
  • Barbara Blaugdone – An Account of the Travels, Sufferings & Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone. Given forth as a testimony to the Lord’s power, and for the encouragement of Friends
  • Gerard Langbaine – An Account of the English Dramatic Poets
  • Maximilien Misson – Nouveau voyage d’Italie
  • Sir Dudley North – Discourses upon Trade
  • The Kingdom of Ireland
  • Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz

Drama

  • Anonymous – The Braggadocio, or Bawd Turn’d Puritan
  • John Bancroft – Edward III, with the Fall of Mortimer, Earl of March
  • Pedro Calderon de la Barca – Céfalo y Pocris
  • David-Augustin de Brueys & Jean Palaprat – Le Muet
  • John Dryden – King Arthur, or the British Worthy (a “semi-opera” featuring music by Henry Purcell)
  • Thomas d’Urfey – Love for Money
  • Joseph Harris – The Mistakes
  • William Mountfort – Greenwich Park
  • Archibald Pitcairne and others – The Phanaticks (first published as The Assembly, or Scotch Reformation, posthumously attributed as “by a Scots Gentleman,” 1722)
  • Jean Racine – Athalie
  • John Smith (probable author – issued anonymously) – Win Her and Take Her, or Old Fools will be Medling: a comedy
  • Thomas Southerne – The Wives Excuse
  • John Wilson – Belphegor, or the Marriage of the Devil

Births

  • February 3 – George Lillo, English dramatist and actor (died 1739)
  • February 27 – Edward Cave, English printer and publisher (died 1754)
  • April 9 – Johann Matthias Gesner, German classicist (died 1761)
  • October 18 – John Leland, English theologian (died 1766)

Deaths

  • June 26 – John Flavel, English Presbyterian religious writer (born 1627)
  • July 30 – Daniel Georg Morhof, German writer and critic (born 1639)
  • October 8 – Thomas Barlow, English religious writer and bishop (born 1609)
  • October 10 – Isaac de Benserade, French poet (born 1613)
  • December 8 – Richard Baxter, English Puritan religious leader and writer (born 1615)
  • Probable year of death – Samuel Pordage, English poet and cleric (born 1633)

References