Contemporary LiteratureHistory1678.Bunyan'sPilgrim's Progress, Part I.1685.Accession of James II.Monmouth's Rebellion and the Bloody Assize.1681-2.Dryden'sAbsalom and Achitophel, MacFlecknoe.1686.Attempted Repeal of the Test Act. First Declaration of Indulgence.1684.Bunyan'sPilgrim's Progress, Part II.1687.Dryden'sHind and Panther.1688.New Declaration of Indulgence; Trial of the Bishops. Revolution; Accession of William and Mary.1690.Locke'sEssay on the Human Understanding.1689.The Toleration Act.Treatise onCivil Government.1690.The Battle of the Boyne.1694.Queen Mary died.1697.Dryden'sAlexander's Feast, Translation ofVirgil.1697.Peace of Ryswick.1701.Defoe'sTrueborn Englishman.1701.Grand Alliance between England, Austria, Holland, against France.1702.Defoe'sShortest Way with Dissenters.1702.War of Spanish Succession begins.King William dies; accession of Queen Anne.Tory Party in majority.1704.Swift'sBattle of the BooksandTale of a Tub.1703.Victory of Blenheim.Defoe'sReviewbegun.Harley and St. John called to the ministry.1705.Increasing power of the Whigs; union of Whigs and moderate Tories.1706.Marlborough defeats French at Ramillies.1707.Union with Scotland.
SteeleAddison1708.Chief Secretary to Earl of Wharton, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.1709.April 12. First number ofThe Tatler.1709.Joins Steele in the conduct ofThe Tatler.1710.January. Appointed Commissioner of Stamps.1710.September, October. ConductsThe Whig Examiner. Loses his Secretaryship.October. Loses his place as Gazetteer.1711.January 2. Last number ofThe Tatler.1711-14.With Steele conductsThe Spectator.March 1. First number ofThe Spectator.1712.December 6. Last number ofThe Spectatorunder the joint editorship of Steele and Addison.1712.Poems.1713.March 12.The Guardianbegun.1713.April 14.Catofirst acted; published in the same month.August. Elected to Parliament from Stockbridge.Contributes toThe Guardian.October 1.The Guardiandiscontinued.October 6.The Englishmanbegun.1714.January. PublishesThe Crisis.1714.Eighth volume ofThe Spectator. Chief Secretary to the Earl of Sunderland, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.February 15.The Englishmandiscontinued.February 28.The Loverbegun; discontinued May 27.March 18. Expelled from the House of Commons.April 22.The Readerbegun; discontinued May 10.October 9. PublishesThe Ladies Library.October 22. PublishesApology for Himself and his Writings.1715.Patentee of Drury Lane Theater.1715.The Drummerpublished.Knighted by George I.December 23. StartedThe Freeholder; discontinued June 9, 1716.July 11 to November 21. Second volume ofThe Englishman.1716.Commissioner of Forfeited Estates in Scotland.1716.Commissioner for Trade and Colonies.Married the Dowager Countess of Warwick.
Contemporary LiteratureHistory1708.Swift'sArgument against Abolishing Christianity. Sentiments of a Church of England Man, Predictions of Isaac Bickerstaff.1708.Whigs supreme; forced resignation of Harley and St. John.Battle of Oudenarde.1709.Pope'sPastorals. Prior'sPoems.1709.French defeated at Malplaquet.Growing weariness of the war.Sacheverell's sermon (November 9).1710.Berkeley'sPrinciples of Human Knowledge.1710.Trial of Sacheverell (February).Swift'sExaminer;Journal to Stellabegun.Parliament dissolved; elections (November) bring in Tory majorities; Harley (now Earl of Oxford) and St. John (now Viscount Bolingbroke) at the head of the ministry.1711.Pope'sEssay on Criticism.1711.Marlborough relieved of command of the army.Swift'sConduct of the >Allies.Creation of twelve new Tory peers; Tories in complete control of government.1712.Pope'sRape of the Lock(First version).1712.Negotiations for peace.Arbuthnot'sHistory of John Bull.1713.Berkeley'sThree Dialogues.1713.Peace of Utrecht.Pope'sWindsor Forest.Growing difference between Oxford and Bolingbroke.Swift'sCadenus and Vanessa.1714.Gay'sShepherd's Week.1714.Death of Queen Anne; accession of George I.Pope'sRape of the Lock(Second version).Downfall of the Tory party.Swift'sPublic Spirit of the Whigs.1715.Gay'sTrivia. Pope'sTranslation of the Iliad, Vol. I. (Finished in 1720.)1715.Jacobite rebellion.
SteeleAddison1717.April. Named Secretary of State.1718.December 26. Lady Steele dies.1718.March. Resigned this position, and granted a pension of £1500.1719.PublishesThe Plebeian.1719.Replies to Steele'sPlebeianinThe Old Whig.June 17. Dies in London.1722.March. Elected to Parliament from Wendover.December. PublishesThe Conscious Lovers.1725.Living at Hereford.1726.Retires to Wales.1729.September 1. Dies at Carmarthen, Wales.
Contemporary LiteratureHistory1720.South Sea Bubble.1722.Defoe'sJournal of the Plague.1723.Pope's Translation of theOdyssey, Volumes I, II. (Completed in 1725.)1724.Swift'sDrapier's Letters.1726.Swift'sGulliver's Travels.Thomson'sWinter.1727.Thomson'sSummer.1727.George I. dies; accession of George II.1728.Gay'sBeggars' Opera.Pope'sDunciad.Thomson'sSpring.1729.Swift'sModest Proposal.