1781 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1781. Events March 27 – George Crabbe writes to Edmund Burke, enclosing examples of his work. The outcome is the publication of Crabbe's poem The Library. August 5 – Antonín Strnad completes an inventory of the contents of the Clementinum in Prague, which becomes a national library. unknown date – Rudolf Erich Raspe (anonymously) publishes "M-h-s-nsche Geschichten" ("M-h-s-n Stories") in the Berlin humor magazine Vade mecum für lustige Leute ("Handbook for Fun-loving People"), the first appearance of Baron Munchausen in fiction. New books Fiction Robert Bage – Mount Henneth Christoph Friedrich Bretzner – Belmont und Constanze William Combe – Letters of an Italian Nun and an English Gentleman Eugenio Espejo – La ciencia blancardina Benjamin Franklin – A Letter To A Royal Academy Charles Johnstone – The History of John Juniper Henry Mackenzie – Julia de Roubignei Glocester Ridley – Melanpus Anna Seward – Monody on Major André