'Frances Burney had thought that Charles Burney had written his autobiography more completely than he had done. When she read his Memoirs, she found them incomplete, and she was sadly dispoointed at the quality of what was there ...'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Frances Burney Manuscript: Unknown
'"Do you know Dr. Burney, Ma'am?" said Mr Thrale.
"No Sir, but I know his Book. I think it's vastly pretty;"'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Victoria Kynaston Print: Book
'[Rev Charles Burney's] Abridgement of Pearson's Exposition of the Creed, is printed, though not yet published. He gave to my father & me each a Copy. His Motto, I think a most happy one, taken from some work of the great Bentley's - "The most excellent Bishop Pearson - the very dust of whose writings is gold". - I have read above half the volume; it is all fudge to call it a book for the use of [underlined] young persons [end underlining] - Unless they are such Young Persons as Moll, who reads Lock on Human Understanding in two days, & says it is easy, & fancies she understands it - And the same farce she played regarding Butler's Analogy, the toughest book (allowed by learned men) in the English language, which she spoke of with the familiar partiality I would speak of Tom Hickerthrift, & bamboozled me into trying to read - and, Good Lord! when I had pored over a dozen pages & shook my ears, and asked myself - "Well, Sal, how dost like it? Dost understand one word?" "O, yes; all the [underlined] words [end underlining], but not one of their meanings when put together." "Why, then, Sal; put the book away; and say nothing about it; but say thy prayers in peace, & leave the reasons [underlined] why [end underlining] thou art impelled to say them, and all the [underlined] fatras [end underlining] of analyzation, to those who have more logical brains, or more leisure to read what they do not comprehend". But, however, a great part of Dr Charles's abridgement, I flatter myself I [underlined] do [end underlining] understand; and what is too deep for me, Moll may explain. He has retained a heap of hard words, which send me to Dr Johnson's dictionary continually - Some of them, are expressive, & worth reviving, others, we have happier substitutes for, and it was ungraceful to admit them, and shewed a false and pedantic taste'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book, printed book not yet published
'He [Johnson] gave much praise to his friend, Dr. Burney's elegant and entertaining travels, and told Mr. Seward that he had them in his eye, when writing his "Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'Burney likewise has experienced his [Johnson's] sportive Humour; when he shewed him his Book about Musick and enquired his Opinion concerning it; the Words are well arranged Sir replies Johnson but I don't understand one of them'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'I shall transcribe some Verses of Doctor Burney's on the same unworthy Subject [herself]; on which Verses Johnson made this remark when he saw them. These says he are some of the few Verses which have as much Truth as Wit, and as much Wit as Truth' [the verses are given]
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Manuscript: Unknown
'[Dr Burney] could write admirable Verses had he Leisure and Inclination so to do. He has shewn me in Confidence a little Poem partly on the Plan & in the Spirit of the Dunciad in which are some exquisite Strokes of Satire well express'd, with great fertility of Allusion too, & his personified Characters of Science, Wit, and Taste, are as happily finished as 'tis possible'. [some speciumens of the verse are given]
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
'Johnson says the following 8 lines of Burney are actually sublime - they are the End of a dull copy of Verses enough, but the Lines themselves are most excellent' [the lines follow]
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
'Johnson says the following 8 lines of Burney are actually sublime - they are the End of a dull copy of Verses enough, but the Lines themselves are most excellent' [the lines follow]
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Manuscript: Unknown
'Burney has translated a provencale Ballad written by Thibout King of Navarre 500 Years ago, into the prettiest English Verses I ever read, but as they will be published in his 2d Vol: I shall not trouble myself to transcribe them here'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
'Doctr Burney has translated the famous old French Chanson Militaire - [italics] all about Roland [end italics]: how happy, how skilful, how elegant is that dear Creature's Pen!'
Unknown
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale
'Doctor Burney has permitted me to write out this Imitation of an old French Tale written in the Year 1548. he has always had an astonishing Power of doing such Things. [the tale, of 'St Peterand the Minstrel' follows]
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
