Editing Christopher Smart (section)

===Early life===
Christopher Smart was born in [[Shipbourne]] in Kent, England on the [[Fairlawne]] estate of [[William Vane, 1st Viscount Vane|William, Viscount Vane]], younger son of [[Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard|Lord Barnard]] of [[Barnard Castle]].<ref name="Mounsey p. 22">{{harvnb|Mounsey|2001|p=22}}</ref> He was, according to his nephew, "of a delicate constitution having been born earlier than the natural period".<ref>{{harvnb|Hunter|1791|p=vi}}</ref>  He was baptized in [[Wrotham]] parish on 11 May 1722. His father was Peter Smart, [[Steward (office)|steward]]<ref>{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=4}}</ref> or [[Bailiff#England .26 Wales|bailiff]]<ref name="Mounsey p. 22" /> of Fairlawne. His mother, Winifred (née Griffiths) was from [[Radnorshire]], Wales.<ref name="Sherbo p. 5">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=5}}</ref> Before giving birth to Christopher, Winifred had two daughters, Margaret and Mary Anne.<ref name="Sherbo p. 5" />

During his younger years, Fairlawne was the residence of [[Christopher Vane, 1st Baron Barnard]] and Lady Barnard, who bequeathed £200 to Smart.<ref name="Sherbo p. 6">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=6}}</ref> He supposedly received this sum due to his father's closeness to the Vane family, Smart being named after Christopher Vane, and the young boy being considered "the pride of Fairlawn".<ref name="Sherbo p. 6" /><ref>{{harvnb|Mounsey|2001|p=27}}</ref> In 1726, three years after Christopher Vane died, Peter Smart purchased Hall-Place in [[East Barming]], which included a mansion house, fields, orchards, gardens, and woodland, a property that was influential throughout Smart's later life.<ref name="Sherbo p. 6" /> From the age of four until eleven, he spent much time around the farms, but did not participate, leading to speculation that he had had asthma attacks.<ref>{{harvnb|Mounsey|2001|p=29}}</ref> However, not all scholars agree that he was a "sickly youth".<ref name="Sherbo p. 12">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=12}}</ref> The only written record of events during his childhood comes from his writing of a short poem, at the age of four, in which he challenges a rival to the affections of a twelve-year-old girl.<ref name="Sherbo p. 12" />

While at Hall-Place, Smart was sent to the local [[Maidstone Grammar School]] where he was taught by [[Charles Walwyn]], a scholar from [[Eton College]] who had received an [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|MA]] from [[King's College, Cambridge|King's College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] in 1696.<ref name="Sherbo p. 9">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=9}}</ref> It was here that Smart received an intensive education in Latin and Greek.<ref name="Sherbo p. 9" /> He did not complete his education at Maidstone however, as his father died on 3 February 1733, and his mother took Smart and his siblings to live near relatives in Durham after selling off a large portion of the estate to pay off Peter Smart's debts.<ref name="Sherbo p. 19">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=19}}</ref>

Smart then attended [[Durham School]], where the Reverend Mr. Richard Dongworth was headmaster; it is not known whether he lived with his uncle, John Smart, or with a school master.<ref>{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=13}}</ref> He spent vacations at [[Raby Castle]], which was owned by [[Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington]], the grandson of Christopher Vane.<ref name="Sherbo p. 16">{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=16}}</ref> Henry Vane and his wife Grace, sister to William and Henrietta Fitzroy the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, had four children, Henry, Frederick, Anne, and Mary. They were only a few years younger than Smart and became playmates, with Anne and Henry "pairing off" with Christopher and his sister Margaret respectively.<ref name="Sherbo p. 16" /> Although nothing resulted from the match, Anne has been traditionally described as being his "first love".<ref>{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=17}}</ref> During his time with the Vane family, Smart dedicated many poems to Henrietta, the Duchess of Cleveland.<ref>{{harvnb|Mounsey|2001|p=40}}</ref> It was his closeness with the Vane family along with his skill for learning that encouraged Henrietta to allow him a pension of 40 pounds yearly, continued by her husband after her death in 1742.<ref name="Sherbo p. 19" /> This allowed Smart to attend [[Pembroke College, Cambridge]].<ref>{{harvnb|Sherbo|1967|p=22}}</ref>