Complaint, or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death and Immortality (first three parts; published anonymously). Births 1 January – Isaac Reed, Shakespearean editor (died 1807) 8 January – Philip Astley, circus organiser (died 1814) 15 March (bapt.) – John Stackhouse, Cornish-born botanist (died 1819) 25 March – William Combe, born William Combes, writer, poet and adventurer (died 1823) 28 April – Henry Dundas, statesman (died 1811) 26 December (bapt.) – George Chalmers, Scottish-born antiquarian (died 1825) Deaths 1 January – Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, statesman (born 1686) 14 January – Edmond Halley, astronomer (born 1656) 22 February – Charles Rivington, publisher (born 1688) 2 April – James Douglas, physician and anatomist (born 1675) 18 June – John Aislabie, politician (born 1670) 27 June – Nathan Bailey, philologist and lexicographer (year of birth unknown) 9 July – John Oldmixon, historian (born 1673) 14 July – Richard Bentley, scholar and critic (born 1662) 19 July – William Somervile, poet (born 1675) References Years in Great Britain