About Fanny Burney
Evelina
Cecilia
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Fanny Burney gives us a wonderful picture of a particular kind of eighteenth century life in England. Her work shows us a world of relative privilege - The Burney family were of modest origins but they had intellectual contacts. Fanny Burney was also a servant in the Royal household for five years.
Frances d'Arblay ('Fanny Burney') by Edward Francesco Burney
oil on canvas, circa 1784-1785.
© National Portrait Gallery, London.
Inevitably, Fanny Burney's writings give a view of the eighteenth century social scene that is in marked contrast, for instance, to that of the journalist and novelist, Daniel Defoe whose writings tend to be concerned with characters such as Moll Flanders who were more streetwise. Nor is her work politically revolutionary like the poet and engraver, William Blake. Nevertheless, within their social framework, these texts are illuminating, entertaining and honorable; giving us in their entirety the most thorough picture of a particular intellectual and enlightened social scene.
Fanny Burney is prolific, compassionate and entertaining. She is a peristent, serious and natural writer never conveying any sense of grandeur or self-importance.
Evelina and Cecilia are the only texts on this site at the moment but we plan to add more of her work gradually as time allows. |
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