Susanna Highmore facts for kids

Susanna Highmore (born Susanna Hiller) lived from 1690 to 1750. She was an English poet who wrote several poems. She was married to Joseph Highmore, a very popular portrait painter.

They got married on May 28, 1716, and lived in London. Susanna was from a wealthy family. The couple knew famous people like Isaac Watts and Samuel Richardson. They had two children, Anthony Highmore and Susanna Duncombe. Anthony later became a painter, and Susanna also became a poet.

Her Family Life

Susanna Highmore believed in educating her children at home. She followed the ideas of John Locke, a famous thinker. Her friend, Samuel Richardson, said she was a kind and caring mother.

Both of her children grew up to be creative. Anthony followed his father's path as a painter. Susanna, like her mother, became known for her poetry.

Her Poems and Writings

Susanna Highmore's first known poem was a tribute to Isaac Watts. She published it without her name in 1748. In 1749, she wrote a poem called A Calvinistical Reflection. This poem appeared in The Gentleman's Magazine. It was a clever poem that gently made fun of some ideas.

Later, a publisher named John Nichols printed two more of her short poems. These poems were very witty and well-written. One of them was written in the style of another famous poet, Alexander Pope.

Even though she was very talented, Susanna Highmore did not publish many poems. Her husband said she wrote many poems that were never collected. She chose not to publish them because her religious beliefs made her feel it was wrong to seek attention.

Her Later Years

Susanna Highmore passed away in 1750. She was sixty years old.