Top 73 Quotes & Sayings by Fanny Burney

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an English novelist Fanny Burney.

Last updated on November 8, 2024.

Frances Burney, also known as Fanny Burney and later Madame d'Arblay, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and playwright. In 1786–1790 she held the post as "Keeper of the Robes" to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, George III's queen. In 1793, aged 41, she married a French exile, General Alexandre d'Arblay. After a long writing career and wartime travels that stranded her in France for over a decade, she settled in Bath, England, where she died on 6 January 1840. The first of her four novels, Evelina (1778), was the most successful and remains her most highly regarded. Most of her plays were not performed in her lifetime. She wrote a memoir of her father (1832) and many letters and journals that have been gradually published since 1889.

English - Novelist | June 13, 1752 - January 6, 1840

Source: Wikipedia

don't be angry with the gentleman for thinking, whatever be the cause, for I assure you he makes no common practice of offending in that way.

Fanny Burney

Can any thing, my good Sir, be more painful to a friendly mind than a necessity of communicating disagreeable intelligence? Indeed, it is sometimes difficult to determine, whether the relater or the receiver of evil tidings is most to be pitied.

Fanny Burney

Those who wander in the world avowedly and purposely in pursuit of happiness, who view every scene of present joy with an eye to what may succeed, certainly are more liable to disappointment, misfortune and unhappiness, than those who give up their fate to chance and take the goods and evils of fortune as they come, without making happiness their study, or misery their foresight.

Fanny Burney

You must not sneeze. If you have a vehement cold you must take no notice of it; if your nose membranes feel a great irritation you must hold your breath; if a sneeze still insists upon making its way you must oppose it keeping your teeth grinding together; if the violence of the pulse breaks some blood-vessel you must break the blood-vessel -- but not sneeze.

Fanny Burney

You must learn not only to judge but to act for yourself.

Fanny Burney

We relate all our afflictions more frequently than we do our pleasures.

Fanny Burney

Far from having taken any positive step, I have not yet even fommed any resolution.

Fanny Burney

to diminish expectation is to increase enjoyment.

Fanny Burney

... there's nothing but quarreling with the women; it's my belief they like it better than victuals and drink.

Fanny Burney

Money is the source of the greatest vice, and that nation which is most rich, is most wicked.

Fanny Burney

I never pretend to be so superior a being as to be above having and indulging a hobby horse [her journal writing], and while I keep mine within due bounds and limits, nobody, I flatter myself, would wish to deprive me of the poor animal: to be sure, he is not formed for labour, and is rather lame and weak, but then the dear creature is faithful, constant, and loving, and though he sometimes prances, would not kick anyone into the mire, or hurt a single soul for the world--and I would not part with him for one who could win the greatest prize that ever was won at any races.

Fanny Burney

Concealment is the foe of tranquility.

Fanny Burney

Never shall I recollect the occasion he gave me of displeasure, without feeling it renewed.

Fanny Burney

Insensibility, of all kinds, and on all occasions, most moves my imperial displeasure

Fanny Burney

I'd rather be done any thing to than laughed at, for, to my mind, it's one or other the disagreeablest thing in the world.

Fanny Burney

To save the mind from preying inwardly upon itself, it must be encouraged to some outward pursuit. There is no other way to elude apathy, or escape discontent; none other to guard the temper from that quarrel with itself, which ultimately ends in quarreling with all mankind.

Fanny Burney

it has been long and justly remarked, that folly has ever sought alliance with beauty.

Fanny Burney

How little has situation to do with happiness.

Fanny Burney

I cannot sleep - great joy is as restless as sorrow.

Fanny Burney

No man is in love when he marries. He may have loved before; I have even heard he has sometimes loved after: but at the time never. There is something in the formalities of the matrimonial preparations that drive away all the little cupidons.

Fanny Burney

In England, I was quite struck to see how forward the girls are made--a child of 10 years old, will chat and keep you company, while her parents are busy or out etc.--with the ease of a woman of 26. But then, how does this education go on?--Not at all: it absolutely stops short.

Fanny Burney

. . . men seldom risk their lives where an escape is without hope of recompense.

Fanny Burney

I wish the opera was every night. It is, of all entertainments, the sweetest and most delightful. Some of the songs seemed to melt my very soul.

Fanny Burney

How truly does this journal contain my real and undisguised thoughts--I always write it according to the humour I am in, and if astranger was to think it worth reading, how capricious--insolent & whimsical I must appear!--one moment flighty and half mad,--the next sad and melancholy. No matter! Its truth and simplicity are its sole recommendations.

Fanny Burney

Travelling is the ruin of all happiness. There's no looking at a building here after seeing Italy.

Fanny Burney

But authors before they write should read.

Fanny Burney

... it's vastly more irksome to give up one's own way, than to hear a few impertinent remarks.

Fanny Burney

Tis best to build no castles in the air.

Fanny Burney

Generosity without delicacy, like wit without judgment, generally gives as much pain as pleasure.

Fanny Burney

This perpetual round of constrained civilities to persons quite indifferent to us, is the most provoking and tiresome thing in theworld, but it is unavoidable in a country town, where everybody is known.... 'Tis a most shocking and unworthy way of spending our precious irrecoverable time, to those who know not its value.

Fanny Burney

Imagination took the reins, and reason, slow-paced, though sure-footed, was unequal to a race with so eccentric and flighty a companion.

Fanny Burney

an old woman ... is a person who has no sense of decency; if once she takes to living, the devil himself can't get rid of her.

Fanny Burney

falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.

Fanny Burney

When young people are too rigidly sequestered from [the world], their lively and romantic imaginations paint it to them as a paradise of which they have been beguiled; but when they are shown it properly, and in due time, they see it such as it really is, equally shared by pain and pleasure, hope and disappointment.

Fanny Burney

such is the effect of true politeness, that it banishes all restraint and embarassment.

Fanny Burney

While all the pomp and circumstance of war animated others, it only saddened me; and all of past reflection, all of future dread, made the whole grandeur of the martial scene, and all the delusive seduction of martial music, fill my eyes frequently with tears.

Fanny Burney

Look at your [English] ladies of quality are they not forever parting with their husbands - forfeiting their reputations - and is their life aught but dissipation? In common genteel life, indeed, you may now and then meet with very fine girls - who have politeness, sense and conversation - but these are few - and then look at your trademen's daughters - what are they? poor creatures indeed! all pertness, imitation and folly.

Fanny Burney

There is something in age that ever, even in its own despite, must be venerable, must create respect and to have it ill treated, is to me worse, more cruel and wicked than anything on earth

Fanny Burney

To have some account of my thoughts, manners, acquaintance and actions, when the hour arrives in which time is more nimble than memory, is the reason which induces me to keep a journal: a journal in which I must confess my every thought, must open my whole heart!

Fanny Burney

There's no nation under the sun can beat the English for ill-politeness: for my part, I hate the very sight of them; and so I shall only just visit a person of quality or two of my particular acquaintance, and then I shall go back again to France.

Fanny Burney

to be sure, marriage is all in all with the ladies; but with us gentlemen it's quite another thing!

Fanny Burney

There si nothing upon the face of the earth so insipid as a medium. Give me love or hate! A friend that will go to jail for me, or an enemy that will run me through the body!

Fanny Burney

while we all desire to live long, we have all a horror of being old!

Fanny Burney

A little alarm now and then keeps life from stagnation.

Fanny Burney

Nothing is so delicate as the reputation of a woman; it is at once the most beautiful and most brittle of all human things.

Fanny Burney

How little has situation to do with happiness. The happy individual uses their intelligence to realise things could be worse and therefore is grateful and happy. The unhappy individual does the opposite!

Fanny Burney

You have sensible women here [in England] but then, they are very devils--censorious, uncharitable, sarcastic--the women in Scotland have twice--thrice their freedom, with all their virtue--and are very conversable and agreeable--their educations are more finished.

Fanny Burney

She [Evelina] is not, indeed, like most modern young ladies; to be known in half an hour; her modest worth, and fearful excellence, require both time and encouragement to show themselves.

Fanny Burney

Unused to the situations in which I find myself, and embarassed by the slightest difficulties, I seldom discover, till too late, how I ought to act.

Fanny Burney

Credulity is the sister of innocence.

Fanny Burney

the right line of conduct is the same for both sexes, though the manner in which it is pursued, may somewhat vary, and be accommodated to the strength or weakness of the different travelers.

Fanny Burney

Well of all things in the world, I don't suppose anything can be so dreadful as a public wedding--my stars!--I should never be able to support it!

Fanny Burney

Tired, ashamed, and mortified, I begged to sit down till we returned home, which I did soon after. Lord Orville did me the honour to hand me to the coach, talking all the way of the honour I had done him ! O these fashionable people!

Fanny Burney

I am too inexperienced and ignorant to conduct myself with propriety in this town, where every thing is new to me, and many things are unaccountable and perplexing.

Fanny Burney

Childhood is never troubled with foresight.

Fanny Burney

O! how short a time does it take to put an end to a woman's liberty!

Fanny Burney

To Nobody, then, will I write my Journal! since to Nobody can I be wholly unreserved, to Nobody can I reveal every thought, every wish of my heart, with the most unlimited confidence, the most unremitting sincerity, to the end of my life!

Fanny Burney

I love and honour [Paulus Aemilius, in Plutarch's Lives], for his fondness for his children, which instead of blushing at, he avows and glories in: and that at an age, when almost all the heros and great men thought that to make their children and family a secondary concern, was the first proof of their superiority and greatness of soul.

Fanny Burney

Misery is a guest that we are glad to part with, however certain of her speedy return.

Fanny Burney

To save the mind from preying inwardly upon itself, it must be encouraged to some outward pursuit.

Fanny Burney