1808 in literature

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This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1808.

Events

January 3 – The Examiner, "A Sunday paper, on politics, domestic economy, and theatricals", is established in London by John Hunt, edited by his brother Leigh Hunt.
January 30 – The Théâtre St. Philippe opens in New Orleans, United States.^[1]
September 20 – The first Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London, established in 1732, is destroyed by fire along with most of the scenery, costumes and scripts. Rebuilding begins in December.

Uncertain date

William Blake – Milton (probable date)
Friedrich Schiller – revised version of "Ode to Joy", which formed the basis for the lyrics of Beethoven's 9th Symphony
Friedrich Hölderlin
- "Der Rhein"
- "Patmos"
Walter Scott – Marmion

Charles Fourier – The Theory of the Four Movements
J. F. Fries – Neue oder anthropologische Kritik der Vernunft (New Critique of Reason)
Johann Heinrich Jung – Theorie der Geisterkunde
Karl Wilhelm Friedrich von Schlegel – Über die Sprache und Weisheit der Indier
Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert – Ansichten von der Nachtseite der Naturwissenschaft

January 27 – David Strauss, German theologian and writer (died 1874)
February 5 – Carl Spitzweg, German poet (died 1885)
February 16 – Gustave Planche, French critic (died 1857)
March 16 – Hannah T. King, British-born American writer and pioneer (died 1886)
March 22 – Caroline Norton (née Caroline Sheridan), English poet, pamphleteer and social reformer (died 1877)
March 25 – José de Espronceda, Spanish poet (died 1842)
April 18 – Teréz Karacs, Hungarian novelist, poet and memoirist (died 1892)
May 22 – Gérard de Nerval, French poet and translator (died 1855)^[9]
June 17 – Henrik Wergeland, Norwegian poet (died 1845)^[10]
June 21 – John Critchley Prince, English poet (died 1866)
June 22 – Xavier Marmier, French writer and translator (died 1892)
June 28 – James Spedding, English author and editor (died 1881)
July 10 – Solomon Northup, African-American memoirist (died c. 1864)
September 9 – Wendela Hebbe, Swedish playwright, journalist and novelist (died 1899)
October 21 – Julia Maitland, English writer on India and children's writer (died 1864)
November 2 – Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly, French novelist (died 1889)
Unknown date – Harriet Ward, English non-fiction and fiction writer (died 1873)

February 12 – Anna Maria Bennett, English novelist (born c. 1760)
April 4 – Lady Charlotte Murray, English writer and botanist (born 1854)
May 2 – John Collins, English poet and entertainer (born 1742)
September 5 – John Home, Scottish poet (born 1722)
September 13 – Saverio Bettinelli, Italian man of letters (born 1718)
September 25 – Richard Porson, English classicist (born 1757)
November 4 – Melchiore Cesarotti, Italian poet (born 1730)
December 28 – John Duncan, English miscellanist (born 1721)
c. November/December – Nólsoyar Páll, Faroese merchant and poet, lost at sea (born 1766)

Uncertain date