Susan DuVerger facts for kids

Susan DuVerger was an English translator and writer. She was born Suzanne de La Vallée and lived from about 1610 to 1657. She is known for translating books from French to English and for writing a unique book that discussed ideas with another famous writer.

Early Life and Family

Susan DuVerger was born in London around 1610. Her parents were Charles and Ester de La Vallée. She was the youngest of their five children. She was baptized at a French Huguenot church in London. Huguenots were French Protestants who came to England to escape religious persecution.

By 1633, Suzanne de La Vallée married Jean-Jacques DuVerger. They had two daughters. Their first daughter, Françoise, was born around 1633. Their second daughter, Suzanne, was born around 1635.

Her Work as a Translator

Susan DuVerger was likely a Protestant. However, she translated books by a French Catholic writer and bishop named Jean-Pierre Camus. This was interesting because England had many disagreements between Protestants and Catholics at that time.

In 1639, she translated Camus's romantic stories called "Admirable Events." She dedicated this translation to Henrietta Maria. Henrietta Maria was the French Catholic wife of the English king, Charles I of England. In 1641, Susan DuVerger translated another book by Camus called "Diotrèphe."

Her Own Writing

In 1657, Susan DuVerger published her own book. It had a very long title: "Humble Reflections Upon some Passages of the right Honorable the Lady Marchionesse of Newcastles Olio. Or An Appeale from her mes-informed, to her owne better informed judgement."

This book was a response to "The World's Olio." That book was written by Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Margaret Cavendish was a very well-known and active writer. Experts say DuVerger's book was "fascinating" and very special. It showed an intellectual discussion about religion between two women in the 1600s. This kind of public debate between women was very unusual for that time.

Later Life

Susan DuVerger passed away in 1657. In 1659, her daughters got married in Canada. When they registered their marriages, they stated that their mother had already died.