Journals and Letters

Written over a 70-year period from 1768 to 1839, Burney’s letters and journals are distinguished by their remarkable range and variety. They record Burney’s unhappy experience of English court life and later, in France, the final stages of the Napoleonic wars. From the self-centred and irreverant writings of the precocious young girl to the more sober reflections of the mature woman, this selection demonstrates Burney’s ability to bring the world around her to life.

Author Biography

Frances Burney (1752-1840) established her reputation with her novel, ‘Evelina’ (1778). After a period in Queen Charlotte’s court, she and her husband, Alexander d’Arblay, were interned by Napoleon and lived in France until 1815. Widowed in 1818, she spent the rest of her life in London. Peter Sabor is Professor of English at Laval University, Quebec. Lars E Troide is Professor of English and Director of the Burney Papers Project at McGill University, Montreal.