1678 in literature
Encyclopedia
The year 1678 in literature involved some significant events.
Events
- Thomas OtwayThomas OtwayThomas Otway was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for Venice Preserv'd, or A Plot Discover'd .-Life:...
, escaping from an unhappy love affair, obtains a commission in the army. - Printer Joseph MoxonJoseph MoxonJoseph Moxon , hydrographer to Charles II, was an English printer of mathematical books and maps, a maker of globes and mathematical instruments, and mathematical lexicographer. He produced the first English language dictionary devoted to mathematics...
becomes the first tradesman to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
New books
- John BunyanJohn BunyanJohn Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
- The Pilgrim's ProgressThe Pilgrim's ProgressThe Pilgrim's Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan and published in February, 1678. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been... - Ralph CudworthRalph CudworthRalph Cudworth was an English philosopher, the leader of the Cambridge Platonists.-Life:Born at Aller, Somerset, he was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, gaining his MA and becoming a Fellow of Emmanuel in 1639. In 1645, he became master of Clare Hall and professor of Hebrew...
- The True Intellectual System of the Universe - Madame de la FayetteMarie-Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne, comtesse de la FayetteMarie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne, comtesse de La Fayette , better known as Madame de La Fayette, was a French writer, the author of La Princesse de Clèves, France's first historical novel and one of the earliest novels in literature.- Life :Christened Marie-Madeleine Pioche de La Vergne, she was...
- La Princesse de ClèvesLa Princesse de ClèvesLa Princesse de Clèves is a French novel which was published anonymously in March 1678. It is regarded by many as the beginning of the modern tradition of the psychological novel, and as a great classic work. Its author is generally held to be Madame de La Fayette.The action takes place between...
(published anonymously) - Sir Thomas Herbert - Threnodia Carolina
- Thomas HobbesThomas HobbesThomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...
- Decameron Physiologicum - Josiah King - The Examination and Trial of Old Father Christmas Together with his Clearing by the Jury
- The Mowing-DevilMowing-DevilThe Mowing-Devil: or, Strange News out of Hartford-shire is the title of an English woodcut pamphlet published in 1678.The pamphlet tells of a farmer who, refusing to pay the price demanded by a labourer to mow his field, swore that he would rather that the Devil mowed it instead.According to the...
: or, Strange News out of Hartford-Shire, a woodcut showing what is alleged to be the first crop circleCrop circleA crop circle is a sizable pattern created by the flattening of a crop such as wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rapeseed. Crop circles are also referred to as crop formations, because they are not always circular in shape. While the exact date crop circles began to appear is unknown, the documented... - The Works of Geber, Englished by Richard Russell.
- Thomas RymerThomas RymerThomas Rymer , English historiographer royal, was the younger son of Ralph Rymer, lord of the manor of Brafferton in Yorkshire, described by Clarendon as possessed of a good estate, who was executed for his share in the Presbyterian rising of 1663.-Early life and education:Thomas Rymer was born at...
- The Tragedies of the Last Age Considered
New drama
- John BanksJohn Banks (playwright)John Banks was an English playwright of the Restoration era. His works concentrated on historical dramas, and his plays were twice suppressed because of their implications, or supposed implications, for the contemporaneous political situation....
- The Destruction of Troy - Aphra BehnAphra BehnAphra Behn was a prolific dramatist of the English Restoration and was one of the first English professional female writers. Her writing contributed to the amatory fiction genre of British literature.-Early life:...
- Sir Patient Fancy - William Chamberlain - Wits Led by the Nose, or a Poet's Revenge published
- John DrydenJohn DrydenJohn Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
- All for Love- The Kind Keeper
- Thomas d'UrfeyThomas d'UrfeyThomas D'Urfey was an English writer and wit. He composed plays, songs, and poetry, in addition to writing jokes. He was an important innovator and contributor in the evolution of the Ballad opera....
- Trick for Trick- Squire Old-Sapp, or the Night Adventurers
- Edward HowardEdward Howard (playwright)Edward Howard was an English dramatist and author of the Restoration era. He was the fifth son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire, and one of four playwriting brothers: Sir Robert Howard, Colonel Henry Howard, and James Howard were the others...
- The Man of Newmarket - John Learned - The Counterfeits
- The Rambling Justice
- Thomas OtwayThomas OtwayThomas Otway was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for Venice Preserv'd, or A Plot Discover'd .-Life:...
- Friendship in Fashion - Samuel PordageSamuel PordageSamuel Pordage was a 17th century English poet. He is best known by his Azaria and Hushai , a reply to John Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel.-Life:...
- The Siege of Babylon - Edward RavenscroftEdward RavenscroftEdward Ravenscroft , English dramatist, belonged to an ancient Flintshire family.He was entered at the Middle Temple, but devoted his attention mainly to literature. Among his pieces are...
- The English Lawyer (adapted from George Ruggle's Latin play Ignoramus)- Titus Andronicus, or the Rape of Lavinia (adapted from Shakespeare's play)
- Thomas ShadwellThomas ShadwellThomas Shadwell was an English poet and playwright who was appointed poet laureate in 1689.-Life:Shadwell was born at Stanton Hall, Norfolk, and educated at Bury St Edmunds School, and at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, which he entered in 1656. He left the university without a degree, and...
- The History of Timon of Athens the Man-Hater- A True Widow
- Nahum TateNahum TateNahum Tate was an Irish poet, hymnist, and lyricist, who became England's poet laureate in 1692.-Life:Nahum Teate came from a family of Puritan clergymen...
- Brutus of Alba
Poetry
- Anne BradstreetAnne BradstreetAnne Dudley Bradstreet was New England's first published poet. Her work met with a positive reception in both the Old World and the New World.-Biography:...
- Several Poems Compiled with Great Variety of Wit and Learning (posthumously published) - Samuel ButlerSamuel Butler (poet)Samuel Butler was a poet and satirist. Born in Strensham, Worcestershire and baptised 14 February 1613, he is remembered now chiefly for a long satirical burlesque poem on Puritanism entitled Hudibras.-Biography:...
- HudibrasHudibrasHudibras is an English mock heroic narrative poem from the 17th century written by Samuel Butler.-Purpose:The work is a satirical polemic upon Roundheads, Puritans, Presbyterians and many of the other factions involved in the English Civil War...
, Part 3 - Dorthe Engelbrechtsdatter - Själens aandelige Sangoffer ("The Souls Spiritual Offering of Song")
Births
- January 10 - Paul Gabriel AntoinePaul Gabriel AntoinePaul Gabriel Antoine was a French Jesuit theologian.Antoine was born at Lunéville. At the age of fifteen he applied for admission into the Society of Jesus, and was received 9 October 1693. On the completion of his studies, he taught humanities for several years, first in Pont-à-Mousson, and then...
, theologian (died 1743) - May - Anna Maria van SchurmanAnna Maria van SchurmanAnna Maria van Schurman was a German-Dutch painter, engraver, poet and scholar. She was a highly educated woman by seventeenth century standards...
, poet - July - Thomas HearneThomas HearneThomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
, editor of medieval manuscripts (died 1735) - December 14 - Daniel NealDaniel NealDaniel Neal was an English historian.Born in London, he was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, and at the universities of Utrecht and Leiden...
, historian (died 1743) - date unknown - William WoganWilliam Wogan (religious writer)William Wogan was a religious writer, the son of Ethelred Wogan, the Rector of Gumfreston and Vicar of Penally, Pembroke....
, religious writer (died 1758) - probable - George FarquharGeorge FarquharGeorge Farquhar was an Irish dramatist. He is noted for his contributions to late Restoration comedy, particularly for his plays The Recruiting Officer and The Beaux' Stratagem .-Early life:...
, dramatist (died 1707)
Deaths
- January 16 - Madeleine de Souvré, marquise de SabléMadeleine de Souvré, marquise de SabléMadeleine de Souvré, marquise de Sablé , French writer, was the daughter of Gilles de Souvré, marquis de Courtenvaux, tutor of Louis XIII, and marshal of France....
, salon hostess and writer - May 4 - Abraham WoodheadAbraham WoodheadAbraham Woodhead was an English writer on Catholicism.-Life:Born at Almondbury, West Yorkshire, he died at Hoxton in Middlesex. He was educated at University College, Oxford, entering in 1624, becoming fellow in 1633, and proctor in 1641...
, Catholic writer (born 1609) - August 16 - Andrew MarvellAndrew MarvellAndrew Marvell was an English metaphysical poet, Parliamentarian, and the son of a Church of England clergyman . As a metaphysical poet, he is associated with John Donne and George Herbert...
(born 1621) - date unknown
- Richard FlecknoeRichard FlecknoeRichard Flecknoe , English dramatist and poet, the object of Dryden's satire, was probably of English birth, although there is no corroboration of the suggestion of Joseph Gillow, that he was a nephew of a Jesuit priest, William Flecknoe, or more properly Flexney, of Oxford.The few known facts of...
(born c.1600) - Theophilus GaleTheophilus GaleTheophilus Gale was an English educationalist, nonconformist and theologian of dissent.-Early life:Gale was born at Kingsteignton, Devon, the son of Bridget Gale and Theophilus Gale D. D....
, theologian (born 1628) - Jean de LaunoyJean de LaunoyJean de Launoy was a French historian. Known as "le denicheur des saints", he was a critical historiographer. He was on the sceptical side over the supposed papal bull Sacratissimo uti culmine...
, French historian (born 1603) - Thomas SherlockThomas SherlockThomas Sherlock was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics.-Life:...
, theologian - Thomas StanleyThomas Stanley (author)Sir Thomas Stanley was an English author and translator.-Life:He was born in Cumberlow, Hertfordshire, the son of Sir Thomas Stanley of Cumberlow, Hertfordshire and his wife, Mary Hammond. Mary was the cousin of Richard Lovelace, and Stanley was educated in company with the son of Edward Fairfax,...
(born 1625)
- Richard Flecknoe