Margaret Collier facts for kids

Margaret Collier (born in 1719, died in 1794) was an English writer. She is best known for the many letters she wrote to the famous author Samuel Richardson.

Margaret Collier's Life

Margaret Collier was born in Salisbury, England, in 1719. Her parents were Margaret and Arthur Collier. Her father was a church leader who managed a church area called Steeple Langford.

Family and Early Years

Her family later moved to Salisbury, where Margaret and her sister, Jane, were born. When her father passed away in 1732, the family faced money problems. Before he died, her father sold some property rights related to the church.

Living with Henry Fielding

After her father's death, Margaret needed a place to live. The well-known writer Henry Fielding offered her a home. She became a companion to his daughter, and later to his second wife, Mary Daniel. Margaret's sister, Jane, had already worked on a book with Henry's sister, Sarah Fielding.

In 1754, Margaret traveled with Henry Fielding's group to Lisbon, Portugal. Fielding was hoping to find a cure for his illness there. He finished his book, A Journey to Lisbon, just weeks before he died in October of that year.

Margaret was known for being good at drawing people's faces. She created a special outline drawing, called a silhouette, of Henry Fielding. This silhouette was later used as a guide for a famous painting of him by William Hogarth.

A Fan of Samuel Richardson

In 1755, Margaret moved to the Isle of Wight. There, she would read novels by Samuel Richardson to a couple she knew. She read them Clarissa, which she had already read three times herself. She also read them Richardson's novel Sir Charles Grandison.

Margaret became known as a big fan of Richardson. She wrote many letters to him, sharing her thoughts and experiences. These letters helped her gain a reputation as a dedicated reader and correspondent.

Margaret Collier passed away in Ryde in 1794.