Catharine Trotter Cockburn
Catharine Trotter Cockburn (16 August 1679–11 May 1749) was an English novelist, dramatist and philosopher who wrote on various subjects, including moral philosophy and theology, and maintained a prolific correspondence.
Catharine Trotter Cockburn
Catharine Trotter
16 August 1679
London, England
11 May 1749 (aged 69)
Longhorsley, England
Longhorsley
novelist, dramatist, philosopher.
English
English
correspondence
moral philosophy, theological tracts
Trotter's writings encompass a wide range of topics, such as necessity, the infinitude of space and substance. However, her primary focus was on moral issues. She believed that moral principles were not inherent but could be discovered by each individual through the use of reason, a faculty bestowed by God. In 1702, she published her first significant philosophical work, titled "A Defence of Mr. Lock's [sic.] An Essay Concerning Human Understanding." This defence received praise from John Locke, who expressed his appreciation by providing financial support and books to Trotter via Elizabeth Burnet, the intermediary who first acquainted Locke with Trotter's "Defence."[1]
Trotter's work garnered the attention of William Warburton, who wrote a preface for her final philosophical work. Additionally, the biographer Thomas Birch approached her to assist him in compiling a collection of her works. Although Trotter agreed to the project, she died before the publication could be completed. As a result, Birch posthumously published a two-volume collection titled "The Works of Mrs. Catharine Cockburn, Theological, Moral, Dramatic and Poetical" in 1751. This collection serves as a primary source by which readers and historians have come to know her contributions.
Early life and education[edit]
Catharine Trotter was born in London on 16 August 1674 or 1679,[a] to Scottish parents. Her father, Captain David Trotter, was a respected commodore in the Royal Navy, known personally to King Charles II and the Duke of York, who valued his distinguished service. In 1683, Captain Trotter participated in the demolition of Tangier, and while escorting the fleet of merchant ships belonging to the Turkey Company, he succumbed to the plague in Alexandretta (Iscanderoon) in early 1684. Unfortunately, his widow and children faced financial hardship as his property fell into dishonest hands. Catharine's mother, Sarah Bellenden, was closely related to Lord Bellenden, the Duke of Lauderdale and the Earl of Perth.[4]
Catharine Trotter was initially raised as a Protestant but converted to Roman Catholicism at a young age.
During the remaining years of King Charles II's reign, Mrs Trotter received a pension from the Admiralty, and Queen Anne granted her an annual allowance of £20. It is likely that the widow received additional support from her husband's brother and her own affluent cousins in raising her two fatherless daughters. The elder daughter married Dr Inglis, a medical officer who served with the Duke of Marlborough in his military campaigns and later became the army's physician-general.[4]
Catharine, the younger daughter, displayed a keen intellect, a natural aptitude for acquiring knowledge and a talent for penmanship and extemporaneous verse from an early age. Although her formal education is not documented, she referred to it in "Poem on the Busts," suggesting that it was modest and ordinary. Nevertheless, her thirst for knowledge remained unquenched and obstacles only fueled her determination. She avidly read books, progressing from imaginative works that captivated her as a child to treatises on moral philosophy and religion as her reasoning abilities and judgment developed. She taught herself French and, with the help of a friend, Latin. Her verses, written at the age of fourteen and sent to Mr Beville Higgons, were intended as encouraging advice, emphasizing resignation and the conscientious application of the admirable qualities attributed to him rather than solely expressing admiration for his charms.[5]
Religious conversions[edit]
Roman Catholic Church[edit]
Considering the background and connections of her parents, it is plausible that Trotter was not raised with a strong religious upbringing. Consequently, during a spiritual crisis, she may have sought guidance from a Roman Catholic teacher and, as a result, fervently adopted the Catholic faith. She remained devoted to this faith for many years, relying on its initial influence. However, her strict adherence to fasting days had detrimental effects on her health. In October 1703, her friend and physician, Dr. Denton Nicholas, wrote her a serious letter of remonstration, urging her to reduce the severity of her abstinence practices due to the strain they imposed on her naturally delicate constitution. He requested that his opinion be conveyed to her friends and confessor.[9]
Even at her healthiest, Trotter's fragile constitution prevented her from walking more than a mile to church and back on a summer day without experiencing fatigue bordering on illness. Moreover, her weak eyesight made writing by candlelight a painful task. Nevertheless, she possessed an independent and energetic spirit that allowed her to sustain the mental and physical effort required for meticulous literary composition over extended periods. She also managed the complex tasks associated with the performance, printing and publication of her works with methodical precision.[10]
Between 1701 and her marriage in 1708, Catherine Trotter maintained a regular correspondence with her friend George Burnet, Esq., of Kemnay. Throughout most of this period, Burnet traveled abroad, particularly to the courts of Berlin and Hanover, where he spread the reputation of "la nouvelle Sappho-Ecossoise" and aroused the curiosity of Leibnitz, who sought to become acquainted with her philosophical works. It can be inferred from various passages in their letters that Burnet wished to establish a romantic connection with Trotter. However, with genuine candor and sincere esteem, she rebuffed any advances towards a declaration of love. While she had many admirers, she never yielded to the persuasions of her friends or the allure of wealth and status to entertain suitors for whom she felt no affection.[10]
In 1704, Trotter composed a poem celebrating the Duke of Marlborough's victory at the Battle of Blenheim. The poem received high praise from the hero and his family and was published. Around that time, she harbored hopes of obtaining a pension from the crown, supported by the influential Marlborough family, due to her father's long service and sacrifices for King and country. However, she failed to secure the pension and received only a gratuity. After the Battle of Ramilies in 1706, she penned another poem in honor of the Duke of Marlborough, and her verses on both occasions were regarded as among the best commemorating his achievements. In the same year, her tragedy titled The Revolution of Sweden, based on Vertot's account of Gustavus Ericson, was performed at the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket and subsequently published with a dedication to Lady Harriet Godolphin, the eldest daughter of the Duke and later Duchess of Marlborough in her own right following his passing.[11]
Trotter's sister, Mrs. Inglis, resided in Salisbury, and her mother also spent considerable time there. As a result, Catherine frequently made extended visits to the city, sometimes lasting up to fifteen months. However, her preferred residence was at "Mr. Finney's, in Beaufort Buildings on the Strand," where she could occupy private lodgings without the constraints of domestic responsibilities or the disruptions caused by young children. One of the positive outcomes of her stays in Salisbury was her acquaintance with Bishop Gilbert Burnet and his third wife, Elizabeth, who was the eldest daughter of Sir Richard Blake and the widow of Robert Berkeley, Esq., of Spetchley. Mrs. Burnet, who had a substantial independent income, took a warm interest in Trotter until her own death in 1709.[11]
Return to the Church of England[edit]
In Trotter's perspective, a sense of duty towards God and a commitment to reform and improve the world were consistently prominent. However, she pursued different methods to achieve this goal at various stages of her life. In 1707, after engaging in intensive study, deep reflection and sincere prayer, she renounced the Roman Catholic faith. She then wrote and published Two Letters Concerning a Guide in Controversies, which included a preface by Bishop Burnet. The first letter was addressed to Mr. Bennet, a priest, while the second served as a response to an answer she had received.[12] In these letters, Trotter presented strong, lucid and logical arguments explaining her religious conversion.[12] Following this event, she remained steadfast in her unwavering commitment to the orthodox beliefs of the Church of England, without any subsequent doubts troubling her.[13]
Personal life[edit]
The Cockburns had three daughters named Mary, Catherine and Grissel, and a son named John.[24]
In 1743 one of Trotter's daughters died, followed by her husband in January 1749. This took a toll on Trotter's health and she died on May 11, 1749, in Longhorsley, near Morpeth.[25] Trotter was buried alongside her husband and youngest daughter in Longhorsley. Their tomb bore an inscription derived from Proverbs 31:31, altered to read, "Let their own works praise them in the gates."[18]
Legacy[edit]
Trotter's reputation has undergone changes over the past three centuries, with a recent resurgence in interest due to the efforts of feminist critics, including Anne Kelley.[26] Some suggest that the decline of her reputation can be attributed to the fact that she produced a significant amount of work early in her life but less in her later years. Her career was heavily focused on the beginning, and the literary community of her time, particularly men, often emphasized her youth and beauty rather than her writings. Certain literary historians believe that her relative obscurity resulted from an overemphasis on her philosophical works at the expense of her creative writing. Thomas Birch, her biographer, included only one play in his two-volume collection of her works and disregarded "Olinda's Adventures" entirely. Some critics deemed her philosophical writings as derivative, particularly her defense of Locke's Essay, which potentially affected her reputation.
Contemporary scholarly interest in Trotter's dramatic writing has centered on gender studies, acknowledging the influence of her gender on her work. Trotter herself recognized the limitations imposed on her as a woman and expressed her discontent through her writing. In the dedication to "Fatal Friendship" (1698), she reflects on the expectation of facing criticism when a woman assumes a distinct role in society, especially if she engages in what is considered the domain of men. Both Trotter's literary works, where women play prominent roles, and her personal life offer substantial material for feminist analysis.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the : Williams, Jane (1861). The Literary Women of England: Including a Biographical Epitome of All the Most Eminent to the Year 1700; and Sketches of the Poetesses to the Year 1850; with Extracts from Their Works and Critical Remarks. Saunders, Otley.
