1674 in literature

Events

• March 26 – The new Theatre Royal, Drury Lane opens in March. Designed by Christopher Wren, it replaces the original theatre that burned down in 1672.
• unknown dates
• *The poet Isaac de Benserade is elected to the French Academy, along with the churchman and scholar Pierre Daniel Huet.
• *Schlosstheater Celle is founded. By the 21st century it will be the oldest surviving theatre in Germany.
• *The derivative nature of Restoration drama is 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

Prose

• Samuel Chappuzeau – Le Théâtre François
• Charles Cotton – The Compleat Gamester
• 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

  Drama

• Anonymous – 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 – 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
• June 20 – Nicholas Rowe English dramatist and Poet Laureate
• October – Thomas Ruddiman, Scottish classicist
• October 6 – Nicolas-Hubert de Mongault, French writer and cleric
• December – Christmas Samuel, Welsh writer and minister

  Deaths

• March 7 – Charles Sorel, sieur de Souvigny, French novelist
• June 14 – Marin le Roy de Gomberville, French poet and novelist
• August 13 – Lucidor, Swedish burlesque poet
• September 27
• *Robert Arnauld d'Andilly, French poet and translator
• *Thomas Traherne, English poet and religious writer
• October – Robert Herrick, English poet
• November 8 – John Milton, English poet and polemicist
• December 9 – Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon English historian and statesman
• Unknown dates
• *Hu Zhengyan, Chinese artist, printmaker, calligrapher and publisher
• *James Janeway, English children's writer and Puritan minister
• *Miguel Sánchez, Mexican priest, writer and theologian