1746 in poetry

Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or French poetry). Lucy Terry writes the first known poem by an African American, "Bars Fight, August 28, 1746", about an Indian massacre of two white families in Deerfield, Massachusetts; the ballad was related orally for a century and first printed in 1855; English Colonial America May 9 - Voltaire, on being admitted into the French Academy, gives a discours de réception in which he criticizes Boileau's poetry. In England, Voltaire's speech is quoted in The Gentleman's Magazine in July and the full text is translated into English in Dodsley's Museum for December 20. Thomas Blacklock, Poems on Several Occasions William Collins, Odes on Several Descriptive and Allegoric Subjects, including "To Simplicity", "To Liberty", "Ode Written in the beginning of the Year 1746" and "The Passions, and Ode for Music"; published this year, although the book states "1747" Soame Jenyns, The Modern Fine Gentleman, published anonymously (see also The Modern Fine Lady 1751) Tobias George Smollett, Advice, published anonymously Horace Walpole, The Beauties, published anonymously Joseph Warton, Odes on Various Subjects In Dodsley's Museum of September 13, a literary periodical, Mark Akenside publishes two lists of personages: One, "The Temple of Modern Fame, A Vision", a list of the 24 most famous men of modern times, ranked in order of fame and including monarchs, scientists, priests, philosophers and men of letters. French poet and critic Boileau is ranked 20th, beneath Tasso and Ariosto but above Francis Bacon, John Milton Miguel de Cervantes and Molière. (William Shakespeare, Dante, Cornielle and Racine aren't on the list at all).) In some accompanying prose, Akenside wrote: At the next trumpet, the tutelary of France went out with the assured air that was natural to her, and brought in a tall, slender man in a large wig, with a very fine sneer upon his face. She said his name was Boileau and that nobody could pretend to dispute that place with him.