A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Chandler, (Mary)
CHANDLER, (MARY); born at Malmsbury, in Wiltshire, in the Year 1687; died 1745.
Her father was a dissenting Minister at Bath, whose circumstances made it necessary that she should be brought up to some business, and accordingly she became a milliner: yet he took special care to train her up in the principles of religion and virtue; a care that was attended with the utmost success, as is perceivable in her writings.
Mrs. Chandler, from her childhood, had a turn for poetry, often entertained her companions with riddles in verse, and was at that time extremely fond of Herbert's poems. In her riper years she applied herself to the study of the best modern poets; and, as far as translation could assist her, of the ancient; but liked Horace better than either Virgil or Homer, because he dealt less in fable, and treated of subjects that lay within the sphere of nature and common life. Her poem upon the Bath had the full approbation of the public; and she was complimented upon it by Mr. Pope, with whom she was acquainted. She had the misfortune to be deformed, which determined her to live single; though she had a sweet countenance, and was solicited to marry. She died after about two days illness, in the 58th year of her age.