Byron to Lady Melbourne, 30 March 1814, on Frances Burney, The Wanderer (which contains episode recalling his ex-lover Lady Caroline Lamb's attempt to stab herself at a party) : 'I have turned over ye. book at least ye. part of it. -- & think the coincidence unlucky for many reasons ... '
Unknown
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: George Gordon Lord Byron
Charles Burney on his first reading of Frances Burney, "Evelina": 'I perused the first Vol. with fear and trembling, not supposing she wd disgrace her parentage, but not having the least idea that without ... knowledge of the world, she cd write a book worth reading. The dedication to myself ... brought tears to my eyes, and [I] found so much good sense & good writing in the Letters of Mr. Villiers, that ... I hastn'd to tell her... that I had read part of the book with such pleasure, that instead of being angry, I congratulated her on being able to write so well ...'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Burney Print: Book
'On 2 August [1779], Charles Burney at Chessington read ... [The Witlings] aloud to a party which included [Samuel] Crisp, Crisp's sister Sophia Gast and the other Chessington ladies, and two of the Burney sisters [including Susanna].'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Burney Manuscript: Unknown
Susanna Burney describes Charles Burney's reading of The Witlings at Chessington on 2 August 1779, to Frances Burney: " 'Good' sd. Mr. Crisp ... the name of Codger occasion'd a general Grin ... [re the "Milliners Scene"] 'It's funny -- it's funny indeed' sd. Mr. C[risp] ... Charlotte laugh'd till she was almost black in the face at Codger's part, as I had done before her ... My Father's voice, sight, & lungs were tired ... & beng entirely unacquainted wth. what was coming ... he did not always give the Expression you meant to be given ...
" ... the Serious part seem'd even to improve upon me by the 2d. hearing, & made me for to cry in 2 or 3 places ...'"
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Burney Manuscript: Unknown
'Mrs. Thrale offered the kind of readings [of work in progress, ie Cecilia] Burney ... most valued, instant impressions before the whole novel had been read -- or finished.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
'When he was writing ... "Things as They Are" (1794) ... [William] Godwin studied "Cecilia".'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: William Godwin Print: Book
'... Anne Thackeray ... discovered ... [Burney's Diary and Letters] in her father's library and felt inspired to become a diarist and novelist ...'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Thackeray Print: Book
'Carter read and enjoyed fiction until the end of her life. Pennington reveals her enthusiasm for a number of novelists "of considerable genius, as well as strict morals", who provided "a very pleasing relaxation from her severer studies" (Letters... to Mrs Montagu, vol 1, p. 69). According to him, she disliked realist fiction, though she made an exception for Burney's which she read with "increasing approbation more than once": her favourite was "Evelina" (Memoirs, p. 299). She also enjoyed Jane West (who dedicated "A Tale of the Times" to her) and Ann Radcliffe, who impressed her, according to Pennington, by "the good tendency of all her works, the virtues of her principal characters... and her accurate, as well as vivid delineation of the beauties of nature" (Memoirs, p. 300). She thought "A Sicilian Romance" "elegant" and praised its "good" moral (Letters... to Mrs Montagu, Vol III, p. 323).'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Carter Print: Book
'During breakfast I read some of Mme. d'Arblay's Memoirs to dear Charley, who was much interested in her account of Dr. Johnson. He had not read it before, and I had not read it since it first came out.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Charlotte Schreiber Print: Book
Another great source of amusement as well as knowledge, I have met with in reading almost all the best novels (Cervantes, Fielding, Smollet, Richardson, Miss Burney, Voltaire, Sterne, Le Sage, Goldsmith and others).?
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: James Lackington Print: Book
?Pray, said Mr Thrale, do you read much??
?When I can meet with large Print,? answered the old Gentleman.
?Did you ever, said my Master, read Evelina?? ?
I almost jumped; little expecting such a frolic from Mr Thrale,?who however, avoided looking at me.
?No, Sir, never, answered Mr. Legh, but I have heard of it,?I have heard a good deal of it.?
?Well, Sir, added Mr Thrale, I would advise you to read it.?
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Henry Thrale Print: Book
'He [Dr Johnson] says Dr. Barnard, the Provost of Eaton, has been singing the praises of my Book . . .'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Barnard Print: Book
'. . . & that old Dr. Lawrence has read it ["Evelina"] through 3 Times within this last Month!'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Dr Lawrence Print: Book
?"She has heard a great deal of you, ? & has seen some of your Letters" . . . I am [ital] very [ital] much concerned, nay & [ital] hurt & half angry [ital] that this lady, whose name it seems is Lee, should have seen any of my Letters . . .'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Leigh Manuscript: Letter
'Annabella was now reading Cowper's "Iliad" and annotating evey second line; she was studying Alfieri with the family-solicitor's daughter; for relaxation condescending to "Evelina". In "Evelina" she was disappointed, like a good many more of its readers - more perhaps than make the confession. There was study of Southey, Wordsworth, and Coleridge as well, for everyone was reading them... Annabella waded through "Madoc". She found some passages wearisome but was convinced that Southey would one day be ranked high "among the ancient poets".'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Isabella (Annabella) Milbanke Print: Book
'"Yes," bolted out Mrs. Bowdler, "Harriet is one of the greatest admirers of 'Evelina'."
These sort of abrupt speeches from people one hardly knows are amazingly distressing: & Fanny Bowdler & Miss Leigh looked almost as awkward as myself.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Henrietta Maria (Harriet) Bowdler Print: Book
'Lord, Ma'am, I was so entertained & I was quite ill, too, Ma'am, quite ill when I read it! - but for all that, Lord, Ma'am, why I was as eager, -& I wanted sadly to see the author.-'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Victoria Kynaston Print: Book
'What a Contretems [sic]! in the language of France; What an unluckiness! in that of Mde Duval.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Jane Austen Print: Book
'. . . but I am going to the Library immediately for the Book, -though I assure you I read it all when it first came out,-. . .'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anna Maria Lawes Print: Book
'. . . Mrs Kynaston, good humouredly ,called out -"I'm sure, Ladies, I am very glad to see you so merry, - ah - one of you young ladies, - I don't say which, has given me a deal of entertainment! - I'm sure I could never leave off reading,- & when Miss Owen came into my Room, says I, don't speak a Word to me, for I'm so engaged! - Lord, I could not bear to be stopt!. . ."'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Victoria Kynaston Print: Book
'Soon after, the old mamma hobbled to me,? and began a furious panegyric upon my Book,? saying at the same Time "I wonder, miss, how you could get at them low characters! ? as to the Lords and Ladies that?s no wonder at all, ? why as to t?other, ?why I have not stirred night nor morning while I?ve been reading it,? if I don?t wonder how you could be so clever! ? ...
. . . you?ve writ the best and prettiest book? that Lord there, I forget his Name, that marries her at last, what a fine Gentleman he is! You deserve everything for Drawing such a Character, ? & then Miss Elena there? Miss Belmont as she is at last, ?what a Noble Couple of ?em you have put together! As to the t?other Lord, I was glad he had not her, for I see he had nothing but a bad design."
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Lawes Print: Book
?Pray have you read Miss Burney?s Book?? Book? What Book is it?? cried the other. ? A Novel, answered Miss Lawes,? but indeed it?s very much above a Novel.?
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Anna Maria Lawes Print: Book
?Miss Burney I am come to thank you for the vast entertainment you have given me; ? I am quite happy to see you,? I wished to see you very much; ? it?s a charming book indeed, ? the Characters are vastly well supported,??
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Susanna Dobson Print: Book
Elizabeth Barrett to Mary Russell Mitford, 21 February 1842:
'What an amusing book these Burneyana [italics]do[end italics] make! There is certainly a
[italics]consciousness[end italics] which combined with the egoism & the Evelinaism "in
saecula saeculorum", suggests no idea of modesty, real modesty [...] And thus I do not
worship the "dear little Burney" as a fair incarnate modesty [...] But I do like her book -- I do
think it full of living pulses & delightfulness, & my heart leaps up at the hum of work-day life
issuing thus from the tomb-door of that dead generation. Oh -- do read the book -- I mean, at
once -- read it at once.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book
Mary Russell Mitford to Elizabeth Barrett, March 1842:
'I have only read the first volume of Madame D'Arblay's "Diary." Dr Johnson appears to the
greatest possible advantage [...] and Mrs Thrale -- oh that warm heart! that lively sweetness!
My old governess knew her as Mrs Piozzi, in Wales [...] As to the little Burney, I don't like her
at all [...] A girl of the world -- a woman of the world [...] thought clearly and evidently of
nothing on this earth but herself and "Evelina."'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Russell Mitford Print: Book
Elizabeth Barrett to Mary Russell Mitford, 5 December 1842:
'I did think the fifth volume [of Frances Burney D'Arblay's Diary and Letters] interesting & very
interesting -- and yet, I dont give it the preference quite as you do [...] I believe I was [...]
vexed at her wary conduct & cold policy & most provident distrust towards that noble woman
Madme de Stael [goes on to comment upon and criticise text in detail].'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Elizabeth Barrett Print: Book
'My [underlined] vast [end underlining] dear Sister!
O why, instead of 5, not give us [underlined ten, twenty [end underlining], of such dear delicious people? - I have devoured the whole, - and now feel so forlorn, so grieved to have none for tomorrow, that I tremble lest some grievous melancholly malady should seize upon me! - One after another, and then almost all at once, I have loved every soul among them so much, that to part with them is quite dreadful. Dear Sir Hugh! - But to me, if not most dear, at least most amusing Sir Sedley - where did you pick up that delightful, ridiculous [underlined] vast [end underlining] enchanting creature? - and how could you be so cruell as to dismiss him to the Hebrides with such a stink and never let us hear of him again? - I missed him [underlined] ineffably [end underlining] - I love him [underlined] superlatively [ end underlining], and, at the last moment, must own, I hated him [underlined] inexpressibly [end underlining]! sweet good little Eugenia! - Shall I ever dare to grumble again at a [underlined] red nose [end underlining] and a [underlined] dwarfs height [end underlining! - I wish, however, I had, like her, a little Latin and greek to make it go down rather more palateably. Of Camilla herself what can I say sufficiently expressive of my rapturous fondeness for her! [Burney then continues for several paragraphs to analyse and admire characters and plot of her half-sister's novel...] [underlined] Enfin [end underlining], with blessings and thanks that (tho' not for [underlined] me [end underlining] singly in the world you have brought forth so unequalled a treeat, I will conclude by signing myself the most enchanted of readers & affectionate of sisters'.
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Sarah Harriet Burney Print: Book
'What do you think of the "Wardour", by Madame d'Arblais [sic]? It has only proved to us that she forgot her English; and the same suspicion has arisen again in my mind, that "Evelina" was written, or at least corrected, by Dr Johnson.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Princess Caroline Princess of Wales Print: Book
'More I reflect on the novel the higher I place it: attempts to read Swift, Miss Burney, Smollett, place it on a pinnacle.'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Edward Morgan Forster Print: Book
'I was shewed a little Novel t'other Day which I thought pretty enough & set Burney to read it, little dreaming it was by his second Daughter Fanny, who certainly must be a Girl of good Parts & some Knowledge of the World too, or She could not be the Author of Evelina - flimzy as it is compar'd with the Books I've just mentioned. [by Fielding, Lennox, Richardson and Smollet] Johnson said Harry Fielding never did anything equal to the 2d Vol: of Evelina'. [this remark is added later - Johnson borrowed the book from her around 22nd July so her opinion must date from before that]
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Burney Print: Book
'I was shewed a little Novel t'other Day which I thought pretty enough & set Burney to read it, little dreaming it was by his second Daughter Fanny, who certainly must be a Girl of good Parts & some Knowledge of the World too, or She could not be the Author of Evelina - flimzy as it is compar'd with the Books I've just mentioned. [by Fielding, Lennox, Richardson and Smollet] Johnson said Harry Fielding never did anything equal to the 2d Vol: of Evelina'. [this remark is added later - Johnson borrowed the book from her around 22nd July so her opinion must date from before that]
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'I was shewed a little Novel t'other Day which I thought pretty enough & set Burney to read it, little dreaming it was by his second Daughter Fanny, who certainly must be a Girl of good Parts & some Knowledge of the World too, or She could not be the Author of Evelina - flimzy as it is compar'd with the Books I've just mentioned. [by Fielding, Lennox, Richardson and Smollet] Johnson said Harry Fielding never did anything equal to the 2d Vol: of Evelina'. [this remark is added later - Johnson borrowed the book from her around 22nd July so her opinion must date from before that]
Century: Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'Fanny Burney has read me her new Comedy; nobody else has seen it except her Father, who will not suffer his Partiality to overbiass his Judgment I am sure, and he likes it vastly. - but one has no Guess what will do on a Stage, at least I have none; Murphy must read an Act tomorrow, I wonder what he'll say to't. I like it very well for my own part, though none of the scribbling Ladies have the Right to admire its general Tendency.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Burney Manuscript: Unknown
'Fanny Burney has read me her new Comedy; nobody else has seen it except her Father, who will not suffer his Partiality to overbiass his Judgment I am sure, and he likes it vastly. - but one has no Guess what will do on a Stage, at least I have none; Murphy must read an Act tomorrow, I wonder what he'll say to't. I like it very well for my own part, though none of the scribbling Ladies have the Right to admire its general Tendency.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Frances Burney Manuscript: Unknown
'Fanny Burney has read me her new Comedy; nobody else has seen it except her Father, who will not suffer his Partiality to overbiass his Judgment I am sure, and he likes it vastly. - but one has no Guess what will do on a Stage, at least I have none; Murphy must read an Act tomorrow, I wonder what he'll say to't. I like it very well for my own part, though none of the scribbling Ladies have the Right to admire its general Tendency.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Manuscript: Unknown
'[Fanny Burney's] new Novel called "Cecilia" is the Picture of Life such as the Author sees it: while therefore this Mode of Life lasts, her Book will be of Value, as the Representation is astonishingly perfect: but as nothing in the Book is derived from Study, so it can have no Principle of duration - Burney's Cecilia is to Richardson's Clarissa - what a Camera Obscura in the Window of a London parlour, - is to a view of Venice by the clear Pencil of Canaletti [sic.]'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Lynch Thrale Print: Book
'Wyndham and Johnson were talking of Miss Burney's new Novel - 'Tis far superior to Fielding's, says Mr Johnson; her Characters are nicer discriminated, and less prominent, Fielding could describe a Horse or an Ass, but he never reached to a Mule.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
17 March 1856:
'During breakfast I read some of Mme. d'Arblay's Memoirs to dear Charley [husband], who was much interested in her account of Dr. Johnson. he had not read it before, and I had not read it since it first came out.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Lady Charlotte Schreiber Print: Book
17 March 1856:
'During breakfast I read some of Mme. d'Arblay's Memoirs to dear Charley [husband], who was much interested in her account of Dr. Johnson. He had not read it before, and I had not read it since it first came out.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Bertie Print: Book
'Annabella was now [in 1812] reading Cowper's Iliad and annotating every second line; she was studying Alfieri with the family-solicitor's daughter; for relaxation condescending to Evelina. In Evelina she was disappointed [...] There was study of Southey, Wordsworth and Coleridge as well, for everyone was reading them'.
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Anne Isabella Milbanke Print: Book
Monday, 26 May 1828:
'I walkd down to call with [Samuel] Rogers on Mrs. D'Arblay. She shewd me some notes which she was making about her novels which she induced me to believe had been recollected and jotted down in compliance with my suggestions on a former occasion.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Walter Scott Manuscript: Unknown
Mary Shelley to John Murray, acknowledging his gift of Croker's edition of Boswell's Life of Johnson (1831):
'I have read "Boswell's Journal" ten times: I hope to read it many more. It is the most amusing book in the world [...] I do not see, in your list of authors whose anecdotes are extracted, the name of Mrs. D'Arblay; her account of Dr. Johnson, Mrs. Thrale, &c., in her "Memoirs of Dr. Burney," are highly interesting and valuable [sic].'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Shelley Print: Book
'The town soon went wild about the story [Evelina] [...] Mrs. Thrale read it, and liked it better
than Madame Riccoboni's Tales [...] she lent it to Dr. Johnson. He was very unwilling to read it
-- but once he was persuaded to begin the story, he was delighted with it. "Why, madam,
what a charming book you lent me," he said to Mrs. Thrale, on finishing the first volume, and
he anxiously asked to know whom Evelina married. He protested, too, that there were
passages in it that would do honour to Richardson, and that Henry Fielding never drew such a
character as Mr. Smith.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Hester Thrale Print: Book
'The town soon went wild about the story [Evelina] [...] Mrs. Thrale read it, and liked it better
than Madame Riccoboni's Tales [...] she lent it to Dr. Johnson. He was very unwilling to read it
-- but once he was persuaded to begin the story, he was delighted with it. "Why, madam,
what a charming book you lent me," he said to Mrs. Thrale, on finishing the first volume, and
he anxiously asked to know whom Evelina married. He protested, too, that there were
passages in it that would do honour to Richardson, and that Henry Fielding never drew such a
character as Mr. Smith.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Johnson Print: Book
'"Evelina" fascinated everyone. Burke began it one morning at seven, and sat up all night to
finish it. Sir Joshua Reynolds did as much on a day when he had no time to spare, and declared
he would give fifty pounds to know the author.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Edmund Burke Print: Book
'"Evelina" fascinated everyone. Burke began it one morning at seven, and sat up all night to
finish it. Sir Joshua Reynolds did as much on a day when he had no time to spare, and declared
he would give fifty pounds to know the author.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Sir Joshua Reynolds Print: Book
'In 1782 "Cecilia" [...] made its appearance [...] Burke called it an extraordinary performance,
and the public were delighted with it.'
Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Edmund Burke Print: Book
'I seem to have been reading nothing but about young girls lately — Miss Bronte, Miss Edgeworth, the Burneys, the Winkworths.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Emma Darwin Print: Book
'Meeting held at 22 Cintra Avenue 4th September 1943
F. E. Pollard in the chair.
1. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
[...]
6. Edith Smith opened the evening of miscellaneous readings by reading part of a
short story “The Man with No Face” by Dorothy Sayers. She left the murder
mystery tantalizingly unsolved, but gave us a clever and amusing picture of the
occupants rightful and encroaching of a 1st-class railway carriage.
7. Mary Stansfield read from a collection of letters written by Freya Stark entitled
“Letters from Syria”. These were written some years ago in an atmosphere of
peace & tranquility. A particularly beautiful description of the writer’s first sight of
the Greek Islands recalled to F. E. Pollard his voyage there with Charles
Stansfield, about which he gave us some interesting and amusing reminiscences.
8. Arnold Joselin Read Boswells account of his first meeting with Johnson and then
“My Streatham Visit” by Frances Burney in which she describes meeting Johnson at
Thrale Hall and records some of the conversation at the dinner table.
9. [...] we listened to F. E. Pollard reading about “The Functional Alternative” from
a pamphlet published by the Royal Institute of International Affairs entitled “A
Working Peace System” by David Mitrany. The author suggests that in Post-War
Europe we should pursue a line of action similar to that adopted by President
Roosevelt in America in 1932/33. This started a lively discussion during which it
became apparent that federal union does not function in the Pollard family.
10. Reverting to more tranquil times Howard Smith read from André Maurois’ “Life
of Disraeli”. This led to the suggestion that Parliamentary speeches of today might
be improved if they contained more personal venom & we were assured that
Eleanor Rathbone is doing her best to liven things up.
11. Muriel Stevens read from The Autobiography of a Chinese Girl” by Hsieh Ping-
Ying. This proved to be a suitably soothing and uncontroversial ending to a most
varied and interesting evening.
[signed as a true record by] Howard R. Smith
6/10/1943 [at the club meeting held at Frensham: see Minute Book, p. 161]'
Century: 1900-1945 Reader/Listener/Group: Arnold Joselin Print: Book
