Catharine Trotter Cockburn (16 August 1679 – 11 May 1749) was a Scottish novelist, dramatist and philosopher who wrote on various subjects, including moral philosophy and theology, and maintained a prolific correspondence.
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."
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 Catharine Trotter was born in London on 16 August 1674 or 1679, 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.
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.
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.
Early productions Her writings were didactic in nature, and while her songs contained amorous elements, they emphasized self-control and morality. Due to her father's professional connections, her mother's aristocratic ties, and her own remarkable talents, Catharine Trotter had a wide circle of acquaintances. Despite facing financial constraints and likely having little wealth of her own apart from her writing earnings, Trotter moved in esteemed social circles and was frequently welcomed as a guest in the homes of the wealthy and influential. Her beauty and genuine manners exuded an unassuming intellectual superiority.
At the age of 14, Trotter published her first novel, titled The Adventures of a Young Lady (later retitled Olinda's Adventures), anonymously in 1693. Just two years later, in 1695, her first play, Agnes de Castro, was staged at the Theatre Royal and published the following year. The dedication in the published version revealed her personal friendship and advisory relationship with the Earl of Dorset and Middlesex. This tragic play was not based on historical events but on Aphra Behn's English translation of a French novel.
In 1696, Trotter, along with Delarivier Manley and Mary Pix, was satirized in the anonymous play The Female Wits. She was depicted as "Calista, a lady who pretends to have learned languages and assumes for herself the name of critic." The following year, Trotter sent a set of complimentary verses to William Congreve regarding his play The Mourning Bride, which likely sparked or solidified Congreve's interest in her literary pursuits. Congreve's published letter to her indicates their prior acquaintance.
In 1698, her second tragedy, Fatal Friendship, was performed at the newly established theater in Lincoln's Inn Fields. It was later published with a dedication to the Princess of Wales. The play not only solidified Trotter's reputation as a playwright but also garnered a shower of complimentary verses and expanded her network of influential and fashionable friends. It is reasonable to assume that it brought considerable financial gain.
Before the text of Fatal Friendship, several sets of eulogistic verses were dedicated to Trotter, including one by P. Harman, who also wrote the prologue; one by an anonymous writer (likely Lady Sarah Piers); and another by the playwright John Hughes, who hailed her as "the first of stage reformers." The language used is straightforward and unaffected, occasionally employing colloquial contractions like "'em" for "them," which became popular during the Restoration period. The plot of the play is ordinary but well-crafted, featuring compelling dramatic situations. The moral lesson drawn at the conclusion emphasizes the importance of self-distrust and the dangers of overconfidence. While contemporary critics regarded Fatal Friendship as Trotter's finest dramatic work, Dr. Birch regretfully omitted her four other plays due to space constraints in his edition of her works.
In 1700, Trotter was among the audacious Englishwomen who collectively mourned the death of John Dryden in verse under the collective names of the Nine Muses. As a result, she received praise and was addressed as a "muse" by a group of admiring poets.
In early 1701, her comedy Love at a Loss, or Most Votes Carry It, was performed at the Theatre Royal and published in May of the same year, with a dedication to Lady Piers. According to Dr. Birch, Trotter had formed an early and close friendship with Lady Piers. Later in the same year, her third tragedy, The Unhappy Penitent, was performed at Drury Lane and published in August. It was dedicated to Lord Halifax, and a set of verses by Lady Piers was included, inscribed "To the excellent Mrs. Catherine Trotter." In May 1702, Trotter wrote her defense of Mr. Locke's Essay of Human Understanding, which earned her the personal friendship of John Locke and Lady Masham. Through them, she was introduced to many notable individuals, including Mr. Peter King, a barrister and member of Parliament who was Locke's maternal nephew.
Religious conversions Roman Catholic Church 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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