1718 in literature

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1718. Events November 1 – Lady Mary Wortley Montagu writes the last of her Turkish Letters, addressed to Alexander Pope. November 18 – Voltaire's first play, Oedipus, premières at the Comédie-Française in Paris. This is his first use of the pseudonym. He has been released from the Bastille this year, while Marguerite De Launay, Baronne Staal, begins a two-year sentence. The Freethinker (newspaper) is founded by Ambrose Philips and Hugh Boulter. Laurence Eusden becomes Poet Laureate of England. Ludvig Holberg becomes a professor at the University of Copenhagen. New books Prose Nicholas Amhurst – Protestant Popery; or, The Convocation (part of the Bangorian Controversy) Daniel Defoe (attr.) – A Vindication of the Press Charles Gildon – The Complete Art of Poetry Mary Hearne – The Lover's Week Simon Ockley – The History of the Saracens, volume 2 Ambrose Philips – The Free-Thinker (periodical) Allan Ramsay -Christ's Kirk on the Green (revised version) John Ray – Philosophical Letters John Strype – The Life and Acts of John Witgift John Toland – Nazarenus, or Jewish, Gentile and Mahometan Christianity John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester – Remains of the Earl of Rochester