Christian Milne

Born in Inverness, Scottish Romantic poet Christian Milne was the daughter of a cabinetmaker. After her mother’s early death, Milne moved with her father and stepmother to the town of Auchentoul, where she enrolled briefly in school. Developing an early love of language, she carried a small slate with her, upon which she copied and composed verses. She was sent into domestic service at 14, and there began writing in earnest.

Milne married a journeyman ship’s carpenter in 1797. Together they had eight children. Her sole volume of poetry, Simple Poems on Simple Subjects (1805), was published by subscription in Aberdeen. Her work typically engages domestic themes.