1742 in literature
See also: 1741 in literature, other events of 1742, 1743 in literature, list of years in literature.
Events
- None listed
New Books
- None listed
Births
- January 1 - Isaac Reed, Shakespearean editor
- June 25 - Johann Schweighauser, German classical scholar
- October 6 - Johan Herman Wessel, Norwegian author
Deaths
- February 22 - James Wilson, publisher
- March 23 - Jean-Baptiste Dubos, French author
- July 9 - John Oldmixon, English historian
- July 14 - Richard Bentley, English scholar and critic
- July 19 - William Somervile, English poet
- November 24 - Andrew Bradford, American publisher