Top 100 Burney Quotes
#1. Rab: Like a wee chip, Burney son?
Burney: Stick your chips up your arse!
Mary: Heeey, hey, hey, hey - manners.
Burney: Please.
Ian Pattison
#3. 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
#4. But if the young are never tired of erring in conduct, neither are the older in erring of judgment.
Fanny Burney
#5. Remember, my dear Evelina, 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
#6. 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
#7. Her next solicitude was to furnish herself with a well-chosen collection of books: and this employment, which to a lover of literature, young and ardent in its pursuit, is perhaps the mind's first luxury, proved a source of entertainment so fertile and delightful that it left her nothing to wish.
Fanny Burney
#8. You must learn not only to judge but to act for yourself.
Fanny Burney
#9. 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
#10. Such is the effect of true politeness, that it banishes all restraint and embarassment.
Fanny Burney
#11. 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
#12. O! how short a time does it take to put an end to a woman's liberty!
Fanny Burney
#13. Never shall I recollect the occasion he gave me of displeasure, without feeling it renewed.
Fanny Burney
#14. 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
#15. I am tired to death! tired of every thing! I would give the universe for a disposition less difficult to please. Yet, after all, what is there to give pleasure? When one has seen one thing, one has seen every thing.
Fanny Burney
#16. Besides, she has always a house full of people; and, though they are chiefly fools and coxcombs, yet there is some pleasure in cutting them up.
Fanny Burney
#17. Childhood is never troubled with foresight.
Fanny Burney
#18. Wealth per se I never too much valued, and my acquaintance with its possessors has by no means increased my veneration for it.
Fanny Burney
#19. The easiness with which she hears of her faults, is only another effect of the levity with which she commits them.
Fanny Burney
#20. People who live together naturally catch the looks and air of one another and without having one feature alike, they contract a something in the whole countenance which strikes one as a resemblance.
Frances Burney
#21. And the honour you did me, no man could have been more sensible of; I am ignorant, therefore, how I have been so unfortunate as to forfeit it:-but, at present, all is changed! you fly me,-your averted eye shuns to meet mine, and you sedulously avoid my conversation.
Fanny Burney
#22. Peace to the spirits of my honored parents, respected be their remains, and immortalized their virtues! may time, while it moulders their frail relicks to dust, commit to tradition the record of their goodness...
Frances Burney
#23. Why he's a poet, you know, so he may live upon learning.
Fanny Burney
#24. To Sir Clement, my Lord," said I, "attribute nothing. He is the last man in the world who would have any influence over my conduct.
Fanny Burney
#25. A little alarm now and then keeps life from stagnation.
Fanny Burney
#26. It's vastly more irksome to give up one's own way, than to hear a few impertinent remarks.
Fanny Burney
#27. Insensibility, of all kinds, and on all occasions, most moves my imperial displeasure.
Frances Burney
#28. Generosity without delicacy, like wit without judgement, generally gives as much pain as pleasure.
Fanny Burney
#29. Concealment, my dear Maria, is the foe of tranquility: however I may err in future, I will never be disingenuous in acknowledging my errors. To
Fanny Burney
#30. 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
#31. Travelling is the ruin of all happiness. There's no looking at a building here after seeing Italy.
Fanny Burney
#32. 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
#33. 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
#34. With respect to excellence of style and composition, it may perhaps be said that to practised ears the most pleasing music is such as has the merit of novelty, added to refinement, and ingenious contrivance; and to the ignorant, such as is most familiar and common.
Charles Burney
#35. Far from having taken any positive step, I have not yet even fommed any resolution.
Fanny Burney
#36. There is no young creature, my Lord, who so greatly wants, or so earnestly wishes for, the advice and assistance of her friends, as I do: I am new to the world, and unused to acting for myself;-my intentions are never willfully blameable, yet I err perpetually!
Fanny Burney
#37. Money is the source of the greatest vice, and that nation which is most rich, is most wicked.
Fanny Burney
#38. Men seldom risk their lives where an escape is without hope of recompense.
Fanny Burney
#39. The Spring is generally fertile in new acquaintances.
Fanny Burney
#40. In the bosom of her respectable family resided Camilla.
Fanny Burney
#41. 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
#42. Traveling is the ruin of all happiness! There's no looking at a building after seeing Italy.
Fanny Burney
#43. Let me counsel you to remember that a lady, whether so called form birth or only from fortune, should never degrade herself by being put on a level with writers, and such sort of people.
Fanny Burney
#44. For my part, I confess I seldom listen to the players: one has so much to do, in looking about and finding out one's acquaintance, that, really, one has no time to mind the stage. One merely comes to meet one's friends, and show that one's alive.
Fanny Burney
#45. I cannot sleep - great joy is as restless as great sorrow.
Fanny Burney
#46. 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
#47. The laws of custom make our [returning a visit] necessary. O how I hate this vile custom which obliges us to make slaves of ourselves! to sell the most precious property we boast, our time;
and to sacrifice it to every prattling impertinent who chooses to demand it!
Fanny Burney
#48. The mind naturally accommodates itself, even to the most ridiculous improprieties, if they occur frequently.
Fanny Burney
#49. Falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.
Fanny Burney
#50. 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
#51. A youthful mind is seldom totally free from ambition; to curb that, is the first step to contentment, since to diminish expectation is to increase enjoyment.
Frances Burney
#52. It seldom happens that a man, though extolled as a saint, is really without blemish; or that another, though reviled as a devil, is really without humanity.
Fanny Burney
#53. Every obstacle is a gift, every problem is an opportunity for growth.
Robert Burney
#54. While we all desire to live long, we have all a horror of being old!
Fanny Burney
#55. I am ashamed of confessing that I have nothing to confess.
Fanny Burney
#56. To be sure, marriage is all in all with the ladies; but with us gentlemen it's quite another thing!
Fanny Burney
#57. There was an exceeding good concert, but too much talking to hear it well. Indeed I am quite astonished to find how little music is attended to in silence; for, though every body seems to admire, hardly any body listens.
Fanny Burney
#58. In all ranks and all stations of life, how strangely characters and manners differ!
Fanny Burney
#59. O, we all acknowledge our faults, now; 'tis the mode of the day: but the acknowledgment passes for current payment; and therefore we never amend them.
Fanny Burney
#60. 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.
Frances Burney
#61. It is sometimes dangerous to make requests to men, who are too desirous of receiving them.
Fanny Burney
#63. But alas, my dear child, we are the slaves of custom, the dupes of prejudice, and dare not stem the torrent of the opposing world, even though our judgments condemn our compliance! However, since the die is cast, we must endeavor to make the best of it.
Fanny Burney
#64. 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
#65. 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
#66. To a heart formed for friendship and affection the charms of solitude are very short-lived.
Fanny Burney
#67. But the time draws on for experience and observation to take the place of instruction: if
Fanny Burney
#68. 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
#69. It has been long and justly remarked, that folly has ever sought alliance with beauty.
Fanny Burney
#71. I cannot be much pleased without an appearance of truth; at least of possibility I wish the history to be natural though the sentiments are refined; and the characters to be probable, though their behaviour is excelling.
Frances Burney
#73. 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
#74. But authors before they write should read.
Fanny Burney
#75. We relate all our afflictions more frequently than we do our pleasures.
Fanny Burney
#76. I felt a confusion unspeakable at again seeing him, from the recollection of the ridotto adventure: nor did my situation lessen it; for I was seated between Madame Duval and Sir Clement, who seemed as little as myself to desire Lord Orville's presence. Indeed,
Fanny Burney
#77. Misery is a guest that we are glad to part with, however certain of her speedy return.
Fanny Burney
#78. 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
#79. What arguments, what persuasions can I make use of, with any prospect of success, to such a woman as Madame Duval? ... She is too ignorant for instruction, too obstinate for entreaty, and too weak for reason.
Fanny Burney
#80. 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
#81. There's nothing but quarreling with the women; it's my belief they like it better than victuals and drink.
Fanny Burney
#82. We continually say things to support an opinion, which we have given, that in reality we don't above half mean.
Frances Burney
#83. Really, Ma'am," said Mr. Lovel, colouring, "if one was to mind every thing those low kind of people say, one should never be at rest for one impertinence or other; so I think the best way is to be above taking any notice of them.
Fanny Burney
#84. The civility of young Branghton, I much suspect, was merely the result of his father's commands
Fanny Burney
#86. Mock you!" repeated he earnestly, "no I revere you! I esteem and I admire you above all human beings! you are the friend to whom my soul is attached as to its better half! you are the most amiable, the most perfect of women! and you are dearer to me than language has the power of telling.
Fanny Burney
#87. You could not see and know her, and remain unmoved by those sensations of affection which belong to so near and tender a relationship.
Fanny Burney
#88. 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
#89. Lord Orville seemed by no means to think the Captain worthy an argument, upon a subject concerning which he had neither knowledge nor feeling.
Fanny Burney
#90. She [Madame Duvall] seems desirious to repair the wrongs she has done, yet wishes the world to believe her blameless.
Fanny Burney
#91. There is nothing", answered he, "which requires more immediate notice than impertinence, for it ever encroaches when it is tolerated.
Fanny Burney
#92. 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
#93. The mind is but too naturally prone to pleasure, but too easily yielded to dissipation.
Frances Burney
#94. To whom, then, must I dedicate my wonderful, surprising and interesting adventures? to whom dare I reveal my private opinion of my nearest relations? the secret thoughts of my dearest friends? my own hopes, fears, reflections and dislikes? Nobody!
Frances Burney
#95. 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
#96. 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
#97. 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
#98. Be ever thus, my dearest Evelina, dauntless in the cause of distress! let no weak fears, no timid doubts, deter you from the exertion of your duty, according to the fullest sense of it that nature has implanted in your mind.
Fanny Burney
#99. I looked about for some of my acquaintance, but in vain, for I saw not one person that I knew, which is very odd, for all the world seemed there.
Fanny Burney
#100. To despise riches, may, indeed, be philosophic, but to dispense them worthily, surely, must be more beneficial to mankind.
Fanny Burney
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