Frances Burney

Date of Birth: June 13, 1752

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Date of Death: January 6, 1840

Biography

Frances Burney, also known as Fanny Burney, was an English novelist, diarist, and playwright. She was born on June 13, 1752, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England. Burney was the daughter of Dr. Charles Burney, a renowned music historian, and Esther Sleepe Burney. Despite her limited formal education, she developed a passion for writing at a young age. Her first novel, “Evelina,” published anonymously in 1778, was a critical and commercial success, establishing her as a significant literary figure. Burney is often credited with pioneering the novel of manners, an important genre in English literature. Burney’s subsequent novels, including “Cecilia” (1782) and “Camilla” (1796), further cemented her reputation. She also wrote plays, although they were not as well received as her novels. In addition to her literary contributions, Burney’s detailed diaries and letters provide valuable insights into the social and political life of her time. In 1793, she married General Alexandre D’Arblay, a French émigré, and they had one son, Alexander. Burney’s later years were marked by health issues, including a mastectomy performed without anesthesia, which she vividly described in her writings. She continued to write until her death on January 6, 1840, in Bath, England.

5 Interesting Facts about Frances Burney

1. Frances Burney’s first novel, “Evelina,” was published anonymously, and its success led to widespread speculation about the author’s identity.

2. Burney’s father, Dr. Charles Burney, was a noted music historian and supported her literary ambitions.

3. She served as the Second Keeper of the Robes to Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III, from 1786 to 1791.

4. Burney’s description of her mastectomy without anesthesia is one of the earliest personal accounts of such a procedure in medical history.

5. Her novel “Cecilia” influenced Jane Austen, who borrowed the title “Pride and Prejudice” from a sentence in Burney’s work.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frances Burney

1. “A youthful mind is seldom totally free from ambition.”

2. “People who know their own minds know what they want, and if you are not that kind of person, then you are likely to find yourself in a situation where you are easily manipulated.”

3. “I am ashamed of confessing that I have nothing to confess.”

4. “To despise riches, may, indeed, be philosophic, but to dispense them worthily, must surely be more beneficial to mankind.”

5. “The world, however, is never deceived by circumstances, any more than by appearances.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The concept of net worth as understood today did not apply in Burney’s time, but she achieved significant financial success and social recognition through her literary works and royal service.

Children

Frances Burney had one son, Alexander d’Arblay, born on December 18, 1794, with her husband, General Alexandre D’Arblay. Alexander pursued a career in the military and engineering.