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Daniel Defoe was born
English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy, now most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. -
The beginning of the Restoration Era
Restoration literature is the English literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the English Restoration (1660–1689), which corresponds to the last years of the direct Stuart reign in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. -
Jonathan Swift was born
Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet and cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. -
Political literature
The expiry of the Licensing Act in 1695 halted state censorship of the press. During the next 20 years there were to be 10 general elections. These two factors combined to produce an enormous growth in the publication of political literature. -
Period: to
18th century literature
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The Daily Courant, England's first daily newspaper
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Henry Fielding was born
English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones. -
Samuel Johnson was born
Often referred to as Dr Johnson. English writer who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. -
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
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Tobias George Smollett was born
Scottish poet and author. He was best known for his picaresque novels -
Gulliver's Trowels by Jonathan Swift
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Daniel Defoe died
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Thomas Paine was born
English-American political activist, author, political theorist and revolutionary. Inspired the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Britain. He has been called "a corsetmaker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination." -
The end of the age of satire
Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be funny, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon. -
Jonathan Swift died
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The Adventures of Roderick Random by Tobias Smollett
Influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens -
Rapid development in social life
Coffee houses, private clubs where writers went to discuss... -
Childrens literature
in the mid-1700s, writer John Newberry made children's literature a popular thing or a real thing that people took seriously. -
The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle by Tobias Smollett
Influenced later novelists such as Charles Dickens -
Henry Fielding died
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The History of Rasselas by Samuel Johnson
Originally titled The Prince of Abissinia: A Tale, though often abbreviated to Rasselas, is an apologue about happiness by Samuel Johnson. -
Samuel Johnson died
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The Age of Reason being an investigation of true and...
Age of reason : being an investigation of true and fabulous theology
The book was published in three parts in years 1794, 1795 and 1807. Fearing the spread of what they viewed as potentially revolutionary ideas, the British government prosecuted printers and booksellers who tried to publish and distribute it. -
The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
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Thomas Paine died
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The end of the Restoration era
