- 1581 - Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian and writer born
- 1585 - Gerbrand Adriaensz Bredero, Dutch writer born
- 1805 - Peter Ernst von Lasaulx, German philosopher and writer born
- 1850 - Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter is first published.
- 1892 - César Vallejo, Peruvian poet born
- 1906 - Francisco Ayala, Spanish writer born
- 1917 - Samael Aun Weor, Colombian writer born
- 1945 - Börries von Münchhausen, German poet died
- 1948 - Margaret Weis, American author born
