1700 in literature

The year 1700 in literature involved some significant events and new books.

Events

• May 5 - Within a few days of John Dryden's death (May 1), his last written work, The Secular Masque, is performed as part of Vanbrugh's version of The Pilgrim.
• Richard Bentley becomes Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Nonfiction

• Mary Astell - Some Reflections upon Marriage, nonfiction^[1]
• Aphra Behn - Histories, Novels, and Translations (posthumously published (died in 1689), fiction and nonfiction^[1]
• Jeremy Collier - A Second Defence of the Short View of the Profaneness and Immorality of the English Stage &c (See 1698 in literature)^[1]
• Francis Moore - Vox Stellarum: An almanac for 1701, nonfiction^[1] (first in a series of yearly "almanacs" of astrology)
• Sir William Temple - Letters Written by Sir W. Temple, and Other Ministers of State, Both at Home and Abroad, nonfiction (putatively edited by Jonathan Swift)^[1]
• Ned Ward - A Step to the Bath: With a character of the place, published anonymously^[1]
• The Clothier's Delight or the Rich Men's Joy and the Poor Men's Sorrow" (approximate date).

Fiction

• Aphra Behn - Histories, Novels, and Translations (posthumously published (died in 1689), fiction and nonfiction^[1]
• Thomas Brown - Amusements Serious and Comical^[1]
• Gatien de Courtilz - Mémoires de Monsieur d'Artagnan
• Peter Anthony Motteux, editor - The History of the Renown'd Don-Quixote de la Mancha, fiction, translated by several hands, Volume 1 (Volumes 2-4 published in 1712 in the third edition)^[1]

New drama

• Anonymous - Caledonia, or the Pedlar Turned Merchant
• Abel Boyer - Achilles; or, Iphigenia in Aulis: a tragedy^[1]
• William Burnaby - The Reformed Wife
• Susannah Centlivre - The Perjur'd Husband; or, The Adventures of Venice: A tragedy^[1]
• Colley Cibber - The Tragical History of King Richard III^[1]
• William Congreve - The Way of the World, performed in March^[1]
• John Dennis - Iphigenia: A tragedy, performed in December 1699^[1]
• George Farquhar - The Constant Couple
• Charles Gildon - Measure for Measure
• Charles Hopkins - Friendship Improv'd; or, The Female Warriour: A tragedy, performed November 7, 1699^[1]
• Francis Manning - The Generous Choice
• John Oldmixon - The Grove, or Love's Paradise published (a "semi-opera" with music by Henry Purcell)
• William Philips - St. Stephen's Green
• Mary Pix - The Beau Defeated
• Nicholas Rowe - The Ambitious Stepmother
• Thomas Southerne - The Fate of Capua: A tragedy, performed c. April^[1]
• John Vanbrugh - The Pilgrim: A comedy, anonymous; performed in April^[1]

Poetry

See 1700 in poetry

• Richard Blackmore - A Satyr Against Wit^[1]
• Thomas Brown - A Description of Mr. Dryden's Funeral, verse^[1]
• Samuel Cobb - Poetae Britannici^[1]
• Daniel Defoe - The Pacificator^[1]
• William King - The Transactioneer With Some of his Philosophical Fancies (satire of Philosophical Transactions)^[1]
• John Pomfret - Reason^[1]
• John Tutchin - The Foreigners, published anonymously (a verse satire on William III's Dutch ministers; provoked Daniel Defoe to reply with The True-Born Englishman in 1701))^[1]
• Ned Ward, The Reformer^[1]

Births

• February 2 - Johann Christoph Gottsched (died 1766)
• May 25 - Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, German theologian (died 1760)
• September 11 - James Thomson (died 1748)

Deaths

• January 7 – Raffaello Fabretti, historian (born 1618)
• February 11 – Henry Killigrew (born 1613), clergyman, poet and playwright
• May 12:
  • Joseph Athias, publisher of the Hebrew Bible (born 1635)
  • John Dryden (born 1631)
• August 8 – Joseph Moxon, lexicographer (born 1627)
• date unknown – Thomas Creech, translator (born 1659)

References