COCKBURNE (Mrs Catharine), a most accomplished lady and celebrated writer, was the daughter of Captain David Trotter, a native of Scotland, and a sea-commander in the reign of King Charles II. She was born in London, August 16. 1679, and baptized in the Protestant church, according to which she was bred up in her infancy a Protestant; but being a sprightly, ingenious, and beautiful child, she was particularly caressed by some considerable families among the Papists. This favour naturally wrought a good opinion of such friends; and entering into an intimacy with them as she grew up, she became an easy conquest to their faith, in which she continued many years. In the mean time her genius ripened apace, and shot forth proofs of her talents for poetry, even before she had passed her childhood. In her 17th year she produced a tragedy called Agnes de Castro, which was acted in 1695. This performance, and some verses addressed to Mr Congreve upon his Mourning Bride in 1697, brought her into the acquaintance of that gentleman. Thus encouraged in her first attempt, her Muse brought upon the stage three plays more, before the death of Mr Dryden in 1701, to whose memory she joined with several other ladies in paying a tribute of verse. However, poetry and dramatic writing was not the most distinguished of Miss Trotter's talents; she had a remarkable philosophic turn, and equal to such researches. Mr Locke's Essay on Human Understanding came out during this interval: that famous philosopher had dressed out logic and metaphysics in such a new mode as was very agreeable to the taste of the sex in general, and particularly engaged the attention and admiration of our young authoress. She had begun to project a defence of the Essay against some remarks of Dr Burnet of the Charter-house, which was finished so early as the beginning of December 1701. She had but lately passed the 22d year of her age; and the masterly way in which the piece was drawn, must needs have given singular pleasure to her great champion, who accordingly expressed his satisfaction by a present of
books to his fair defendress. Philosophy sojourns in Cockburne, the neighbourhood of religion; these philosophic reveries would naturally lead a thoughtful mind to that subject; and taking into her consideration the tenets of her present faith, she began to discover their indefensible grounds: she therefore resolved to renounce it, and published a vindication of her change in 1707; and returning to the established church of Scotland, she changed her condition likewise the next year, 1708; and was married to Mr Cockburne, a learned divine of that church. The duties of a wife and mother called Mrs Cockburne from her books and pen many years; and domestic cares engaging her attention, we hear nothing of her as a writer till 1726, when her zeal for Mr Locke's opinions drew her again into public light. She exercised her pen afterwards as occasion offered; and in 1739 she entered into the controversy concerning the foundation of moral duty and obligation. In that controversy she wrote two treatises, the first of which she transmitted in manuscript to Mr afterwards Dr Warburton, the late bishop of Gloucester, who published it, with a preface of his own, in 1747. Mrs Cockburne survived this publication two years only. She died in 1749, and was interred at Long Horley, near her husband, who died the year before her, with this short sentence upon the tomb, "Let their works praise them in the gates." Prov. xxx. 31. Her works were collected and published in 1751, in two volumes 8vo, with an account of her life prefixed.—This collection is an incontestable proof of the author's genius. But her abilities as a writer will not be seen without attending to the peculiar circumstances in which her writings were produced: her early youth, for instance, when she wrote some; her very advanced age, and ill state of health, when she drew up others; the uneasy situation of her fortune during the whole course of her life; and an interval of near 20 years, in the vigour of it, spent in the cares of a family, without the least leisure for reading or contemplation; after which, with a mind so long diverted and encumbered, resuming her studies, she instantly recovered its entire powers; and, in the hours of relaxation from domestic employments, pursued to the utmost limits some of the deepest researches the human understanding is capable of. Her character is that of a most uncommon lady, no less celebrated for her beauty in her younger years, than for her genius and accomplishments. She was small of stature, but had a remarkable liveliness in her eyes, and a delicacy of complexion which continued to her death.