March 16

In literary history

• 1850The Scarlet Letter was published, the novel Hawthorne wrote in a rage after being fired from his customs post. The first printing of 2,500 copies sold out in ten days; the vengeful preface mocking his former colleagues attracted almost as much attention.

Writers born on March 16

• James Madison (1751)

The Daily Canon for March 16

The Symposium by Plato (-385).