1674 in literature

This article presents lists of the literary events and publications in 1674.

Events

• Isaac de Benserade is elected to the French Academy, along with Pierre Daniel Huet.
• Thomas Ken and Izaak Walton visit Rome together.
• The new Theatre Royal, Drury Lane opens in March. Designed by Christopher Wren, it replaces the original theatre that burned down in 1672.
• Schlosstheater Celle founded; by the 21st century it will be the oldest surviving theatre in Germany.
• The derivative nature of Restoration drama is richly displayed when the Duke's Company produces Thomas Shadwell's "operatic" re-adaptation of Dryden and Davenant's 1667 adaptation of The Tempest. In response, their rivals at the King's Company stage The Mock Tempest, or the Enchanted Castle by Thomas Duffet.

New books

• Samuel Chappuzeau - Le Théâtre François
• John Evelyn - Navigation and Commerce
• John Josselyn - An Account of the Voyages to New England, London: Printed for Giles Widdows
• Thomas Ken - Manual of Prayers for the use of the Scholars of Winchester College
• Anthony Wood - Historia et antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis

New drama

• Anonymous (and John Dryden?) - The Mistaken Husband
• Juan Bautista Diamante - Parte II de comedias
• William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle - The Triumphant Widow
• Pierre Corneille - Suréna
• John Crowne - Andromache
• Sir William Davenant - Macbeth, a "dramatic opera" adapted from Shakespeare's play, is published
• Thomas Duffet (attributed to) - The Amorous Old Woman
  • The Empress of Morocco: a Farce
  • The Mock Tempest
• Nathaniel Lee - The Tragedy of Nero, Emperour of Rome
• Jean Racine - Iphigénie

Poetry

• Thomas Flatman - Poems and Songs
• John Milton - Paradise Lost, second edition

Births

• January 15 – Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon, French poet and dramatist (died 1762)
• June 20 – Nicholas Rowe (dramatist) English dramatist and Poet Laureate (died 1718)
• October – Thomas Ruddiman, Scottish classicist (died 1757)
• October 6 – Nicolas-Hubert de Mongault, French writer and cleric (died 1746)
• December – Christmas Samuel, Welsh writer and minister (died 1764)

Deaths

• March 7 – Charles Sorel, sieur de Souvigny, French novelist (born 1602)
• June 14 – Marin le Roy de Gomberville, French poet and novelist (born 1600)
• August 13 – Lucidor (Lars Johansson), Swedish burlesque poet (born 1638; killed in duel)
• September 27
  • Robert Arnauld d'Andilly, French poet and translator (born 1589)
  • Thomas Traherne, English poet and religious writer (born c. 1636)
• October – Robert Herrick, English poet (born 1591)
• November 8 – John Milton, English poet and polemicist (born 1608)
• December 9 – Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon English historian and statesman (born 1609)
• Unknown dates
  • Hu Zhengyan, Chinese artist, printmaker, calligrapher and publisher (born c. 1584)
  • James Janeway, English children's writer and Puritan minister (born 1636)
  • Miguel Sánchez, Mexican priest, writer and theologian (born 1594)