1680 in literature

The year 1680 in literature involved some significant events.

Events

• The spring/summer production of Nathaniel Lee's Theodosius at Dorset Garden features Henry Purcell's earliest theatre music.
• The poem-book Leabhar Cloinne Aodha Buidhe is transcribed by Ruairí Ó hUiginn of Sligo at the command of Cormac Ó Neill.

New books

• John Bunyan - The Life and Death of Mr. Badman
• Gilbert Burnet - Some Passages of the Life and Death of...John Earl of Rochester
• Sor Juana Inéz de la Cruz - Neptuno alegórico
• Pedro Cubero - Peregrinación del mundo
• Pu Songling - Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio (in manuscript only)
• Sir Robert Filmer - Patriarcha published (written 1642)

New drama

• Pedro Calderón de la Barca - Hado y Divisa de Leonido y Marfisa
• John Crowne - The Misery of Civil War, adapted from Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2 and Part 3
• Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle - Aspar
• Nathaniel Lee - Theodosius
• Thomas Otway
  • The Orphan
  • The Soldiers' Fortune
• Jacques Pradon - Statira
• Elkanah Settle - The Female Prelate: Being the History of the Life and Death of Pope Joan
• Nahum Tate - The Loyal General

Births

• January 23 - Joseph Ames, English author (died 1759)
• September 22 - Barthold Heinrich Brockes, poet (died 1747)
• date unknown
  • Nicola Coleti, historian (died 1765)
  • Elizabeth Germain, philanthropist and correspondent of Jonathan Swift
• probable
  • Cathal Buí Mac Giolla Ghunna, poet (died 1756)
  • Nezim Frakulla, poet (died 1760)

Deaths

• March 14 - René Le Bossu, critic (born 1631)
• March 17 - François de La Rochefoucauld, dramatist (born 1613)
• June 18 - Samuel Butler, satirical poet (born 1612)
• July 26 - John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, erotic poet (born 1647)
• November - Carr Scrope, poet (born 1649)
• December 4 - Thomas Bartholin, scientist and theologian (born 1616)
• date unknown - John Martyn, London publisher and bookseller