The Journals and Letters of Susan Burney

Music and Society in Late Eighteenth-Century England

Philip Olleson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781317026648
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Médias et arts de la scène
• Subtopic: Musique

Susan Burney (1755-1800) was the third daughter of the music historian Charles Burney and the younger sister of the novelist Frances (Fanny) Burney. She grew up in London, where she was able to observe at close quarters the musical life of the capital and to meet the many musicians, men of letters, and artists who visited the family home. After her marriage in 1782 to Molesworth Phillips, a Royal Marines officer who served with Captain Cook on his last voyage, she lived in Surrey and later in rural Ireland. Burney was a knowledgeable enthusiast for music, and particularly for opera, with discriminating tastes and the ability to capture vividly musical life and the personalities involved in it. Her extensive journals and letters, a selection from which is presented here, provide a striking portrait of social, domestic and cultural life in London, the Home Counties and in Ireland in the late eighteenth century. They are of the greatest importance and interest to music and theatre historians, and also contain much that will be of significance and interest for Burney scholars, social historians of England and Ireland, women's historians and historians of the family.

The Journals and Letters of Susan Burney, 1779–1799

1 Streatham and Chessington, September 1779

From Letter to Fanny Burney, 1 August 1779 and [2–3? August 1779], Chessington (BL)1

Chesington,2 Sunday Morng August 1st

The Weather upon our Journey yesterday was just such as we cd wish — no Dust, no heat, & no Sun, wch as you know I travelled without a Hat, was a very comfortable circumstance — My Father3 was in the Sweetest humour in the world, so that I check’d all disagreable ideas, & smother’d all uncomfortable reflexions in myself as much as possible, not to interrupt the serenity of his Mind & his Temper — We arrived at Streatham4 at a very little past 11 — & before I proceed further I must tell you that as a Place it surpassed all my expectations. The Avenue to the House — Plantations &c are beautiful — worthy of the Charming Inhabitants — it is a little Paradise I think — Cattle — Poultry — Dogs all running freely about without annoying each other! — Sam open’d the Chaise Door, & told my Father Breakfast was not yet quite over — & I had no sooner got out than Mr Thrale5 appear’d at a Window close to the Door — & indeed my Dear Fanny you did not tell me anything about him wch I did not find entirely just wth regard to his reception of me — it was particularly polite — I followed my Father into the Library, wch was much such a Room as I expected — a most charming one — there sat Mrs Thrale1 & Dr Johnson2 — the latter finishing his Breakfast upon Peaches — Mrs T. immediately ran to meet me very sweetly & welcome me to Streatham — Dr J. too rose — ‘How do Dear Lady?’ — My Father told him ‘twas not his Miss3 — but another of his own Bantlings — Dr J. however looked at me with great kindness, & not at all in a discouraging Manner — then follow’d complaints from Mrs T. for not having heard of you, & explanations on our Part of yr having written 2 Days before & enquiries concerng my sister4 — she was extremely pleased Dr Bromfield5 had been applied to, & sd that then she fear’d nothing — Dr Johnson interrupted this by telling my Father Mr Thrale had desired Mr Potter6 to translate some verses for him wch he (Dr J.) had before undertaken to do — ‘How so?’ sd my father — ‘Why Mr Potter?’ — ‘Nay, Sir I don’t know — it was Mrs Thrale’s fancy’ — Mrs T: said she wd go & fetch them — As soon as she was gone Dr Johnson invited me to take her seat wch was next to him — ‘Come — come here my little Dear’ — sd he wth great kindness — & took my hand as I sat down — I took then courage to deliver your Respects — ‘Aye — Why don’t she come among us?’ sd he — I sd you were confined by a sick sister, but that you were very sorry to be away. ‘A rogue!’ sd he laughing — ‘She don’t mind me!’ — then I up & spoke vast fine about you — for Dr J. looked so kind & so good humour’d I was not afraid of the sound of my voice — Mr Thrale then came in — & by the way during my whole visit look’d at me wth so much curiosity, tho’ he behaved wth the utmost politeness that I cd not help thinking all the time of his having sd he had not had fair play about that Miss Susan — I am sorry he had hear’d me puff’d however more kind & flattering attention cd not be paid me from all quarters than I received — Dr Johnson insisted upon my eating one of his Peaches, & when I had eat it took a great deal of pains to persuade me to take another — ‘No’ — sd Mrs Thrale — ‘they’re good for nothing — Miss Burney must have some better than them’ — however — I was humble — they did for me. — Miss T.1 came in — coldly civil as usual2 — but was very chatty wth me for her before I went away. — then came back Mrs T: wth the verses wch she had been copying out — I rose & took a seat next Miss T. however she made me return to that next Dr Johnson, that he might hear what I had to say — ‘But if I have nothing to say Ma’am?’ sd I — ‘Oh never fear,’ sd she laughing — ‘I warrant you’ll find something to talk about’ — the verses were then given to my Father — after he had read the first stanza ‘Why these are none of Potter’s’ — sd he — ‘these are worse than Potter — these beat him at his own weapons’ — Dr J: & Mrs T. laugh’d very much, & the verses proved to be the former’s & were compos’d in a comical humour the Eveg before in derision of Potter — they are admirable — you will see them at Streatham, & perhaps procure a copy, wch my Father could not do — Dr J. is afraid of having them spread about as some other verses he wrote in the same way to redicule Poor Dr Percy3 — but Mrs T: advised my Father to make you attack Dr J: about them — ‘for she can do what she pleases with him’. — After a little while my Father & Miss Thrale went off after their business,4 & Mrs T: told me she must shew me the Lions of Streatham5 — I followed her after due apologies — & she took me into your Room — shewed me your desk — then her own Dressing Room, & Miss Streatfield,6 Miss Thrale, & Miss Burney over the Chimney piece — ‘They are 3 pretty Misses, that they are’ — sd she — I then went into her Bed Room — & into the other wch is next yours — ‘You see we live together,’ sd she — ‘& Streatham is not like Streatham without her — We do miss her sadly that’s the truth on’t’ — When we return’d down stairs, <we entered> a Room where my Father was tuning — ‘Now,’ says she — ‘this is the <Dining> parlour — & that’s the Harpsichord — but they won’t let us stay here I suppose, so we’ll go & walk’ — She lent me a Calash,7 & we stroll’d about the sweet Plantations — & I saw the Summer House — & Dick’s Island — &c — a servant brought her your Letter8 while we were walking — ‘Aye — here it comes at last!’ — sd she — she shew’d me what you said ‘No need to be stifled now!’ — ‘A Naughty Girl! — & she won’t let one shut a window but by force’ — she laugh’d at Her not wishing to Pinion her swans &c — the whole Letter seem’d to go off wth great satisfaction & applause. We had a great deal of conversation concerning you — & Hetty1 — but chiefly upon the subject of Hetty — Upon returning into the House she sd we would go into the Music Room — & Miss Thrale sung In te spero2 — I was better pleased than I expected to be wth hearing her — Her Voice is very sweet & will improve wth Practice — she has much to do, but nothing to Un do — however ‘Manca l’anima — e l’anima sempre Mancarà!’ [The spirit is lacking, and will always be lacking] — then I was made to tune up — & sung Poveri affetti3 because I thot the words wd please Mrs T. — & it is an expressive song — Miss T. sd I sung like Lady Clarges4 — Nothing like it I think! — My Father sd Mr Skrine5 thot our Faces alike — but that was a bad Compt to me, Mrs & Miss T. found out!! — Mrs T. compared her Daughter’s Hair & mine together — & said we were alike — a less compliment in my Eyes than that of bearing a resemblance to Ly Cl: — however from the quarter whence it comes I know it was meant for a much greater.

[…]

My Father then played over some songs from the Olimpiade,6 during which Dr Johnson came in — he had a Book in his hand, & wanted...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• Acknowledgements
• Family Tree
• Abbreviations and Short Titles
• General Introduction
• Biographical Introduction
• Textual Introduction
• The Journals and Letters of Susan Burney, 1779–1799
• Bibliography
• Index