Damaris Masham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Damaris Cudworth 18 January 1659 Cambridge, England |
| Died | 20 April 1708 (aged 49) London, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Other names | Lady Masham |
| Spouse(s) |
Sir Francis Masham, 3rd Bt
(m. 1685) |
| Era | 17th-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Cambridge Platonists |
Main interests | Christian theology |
Damaris Cudworth, Lady Masham (18 January 1659 – 20 April 1708) was an English writer, philosopher, theologian, and advocate for women's education who is often characterized as a proto-feminist. She overcame some weakness of eyesight and lack of access to formal higher education to win high regard among eminent thinkers of her time. With an extensive correspondence, she published two works, A Discourse Concerning the Love of God (1696) and Thoughts in reference to a Vertuous or Christian Life (1705). She is particularly noted for her long, mutually-influential friendship with the philosopher John Locke.