1685 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1685. Events January 22 – Antoine Furetière is expelled from the Académie française for proposing to publish a complete dictionary of the French language himself. February – The death of King Charles II of England brings a major theatrical flop in the Restoration era: Albion and Albanius – an allegorical drama in praise of the king with a text by John Dryden and music by Louis Grabu – is in rehearsal at the time. June – A revised version of Albion and Albanius fails largely because it coincides with the invasion of the Duke of Monmouth. June – Parliament revives the Printing Act of 1662, limiting London printers. unknown date – The Fourth Folio of Shakespeare's works is published in London. New books Prose Scipion Abeille – Histoire des Os ("Description of the Bones") Aphra Behn – Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister Ihara Saikaku – Five Women Who Loved Love John Spencer – De Legibus Hebraeorum, Ritualibus et earum Rationibus libri tres