1719 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1719. Events March 14 – Richard Steele launches The Plebeian, in opposition to government policy on peerages. April 23–25 – Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe is published in London (by W. Taylor) as his first work of fiction, written aged about 60. The initial title is The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver'd by Pyrates. Written by Himself. Defoe's anonymity is broken in September by Charles Gildon in The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Mr D— De D—, of London, Hosier. By the end of the year the book has run through four editions. Defoe's sequel, The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, competes with several imitators. October 30 – Defoe launches a periodical, The Manufacturer. unknown dates The widow of the dramatist Nicholas Rowe receives a pension from King George I of Great Britain for her husband's translation of Lucan's Pharsalia, published complete, posthumously, in this year. New books Prose Anonymous – Zulima Joseph Addison Maxims, Observations, and Reflections Notes upon the Twelve Books of Paradise Lost The Old Whig I The Old Whig II John Durant Breval – Ovid in Masquerade ("by Mr. Joseph Gay" – part of Curll's continuing battle with John Gay) Daniel Defoe Robinson Crusoe The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe The King of Pirates Jean-Baptiste Dubos – Réflexions critiques sur la poésie et sur la peinture Charles Gildon – The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Mr. D—DeF--, of London, Hosier (satire on Defoe) Eliza Haywood (anonymous) – Love in Excess; Or, The Fatal Enquiry vol. 1 Benjamin Hoadly – The Common Rights of Subjects, Defended Giles Jacob – The Poetical Register (biographies of playwrights, by themselves) Peter Kolbe – Caput Bonae Spei Hodiernum Nicholas Rowe – Lucan's Pharsalia Isaac Watts – The Psalms of David (transl.) Georg von Welling – Opus magotheosophicum et cabbalisticum Edward Young – A Letter to Mr. Tickell (on Addison's death)