Christopher Smart

Poet

Birthday April 11, 1722

Birth Sign Aries

Birthplace England

DEATH DATE May 21, 1771 (49)

#218598 Most Popular

About

Popular British poet whose works include "Jubilate Agno," "A Song to David," and other religious poems. He was a frequent contributor to The Student and other literary journals.

Before Fame

He was born prematurely in Kent, England. He went on to study at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he lived extravagantly and sank into debt.

Trivia

He began publishing work in The Midwife in 1751, writing under the pseudonym of "Mrs. Mary Midnight."

Family Life

He wrote many poems to his beloved Harriot Pratt. However, he ended up marrying Anna Maria Carnan, whose stepfather published many of his literary works.

Associated With

He wrote "A Song to David" during his confinement in a mental institution. Robert Browning praised the poem for its insanity-induced brilliance.