This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1691.
Events March 17 – The Athenian Mercury begins twice-weekly publication in London. May 5 – Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle becomes a member of the Académie française.
New books Prose Adrien Baillet – La vie de monsieur Descartes Barbara Blaugdone – An Account of the Travels, Sufferings & Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone. Given forth as a testimony to the Lord's power, and for the encouragement of Friends Gerard Langbaine – An Account of the English Dramatic Poets Maximilien Misson – Nouveau voyage d'Italie Sir Dudley North – Discourses upon Trade The Kingdom of Ireland Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz – Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz
Drama Anonymous – The Braggadocio, or Bawd Turn'd Puritan John Bancroft – Edward III, with the Fall of Mortimer, Earl of March Pedro Calderon de la Barca – Céfalo y Pocris David-Augustin de Brueys & Jean Palaprat – Le Muet John Dryden – King Arthur, or the British Worthy (a "semi-opera" with music by Henry Purcell) Thomas d'Urfey – Love for Money Joseph Harris – The Mistakes William Mountfort – Greenwich Park Archibald Pitcairne and others – The Phanaticks (first published as The Assembly, or Scotch Reformation, posthumously as "by a Scots Gentleman", 1722) Jean Racine – Athalie John Smith (probable author – issued anonymously) – Win Her and Take Her, or Old Fools will be Medling: a comedy"Underhill, Cave" in Dictionary of National Biography. Thomas Southerne – The Wives Excuse John Wilson – Belphegor, or the Marriage of the Devil published
Births February 3 – George Lillo, English dramatist and actor (died 1739) February 27 – Edward Cave, English printer and publisher (died 1754) April 9 – Johann Matthias Gesner, German classicist (died 1761) October 18 – John Leland, English theologian (died 1766)
Deaths June 26 – John Flavel, English Presbyterian religious writer (born 1627) July 30 – Daniel Georg Morhof, German writer and critic (born 1639) October 8 – Thomas Barlow, English religious writer and bishop (born 1609) October 10 – Isaac de Benserade, French poet (born 1613) December 8 – Richard Baxter, English Puritan religious leader and writer (born 1615) Probable year of death – Samuel Pordage, English poet and cleric (born 1633)
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