The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-18 00:00:00

I`l.lE ii.EVEITENt) IibCTOR. BURNEY.

Though some time has el..psed since. the world
wa's deprived of this traly estimable Ornathent of
Literature .and valuable Member of Society, yet his
cbaraCter will he revered as long as teat ping, Ge-
nius, anti Virtue shall be held in veneration. We
recently met with the subfoined tribute to the
memory of this excellent mon, in a Provincial
Journal ; and having bad for many years the plea-
sure, and we ►nay Properly Add the honour, to he
received Into his friendship, we feel a melancholy
gratification in transferring it to THE Sux, con-
vinced that though it was evidently written by the,
hand of AFFecrioN, it was in all respects as evi-
dently guided by the direction of irRUTH

A few brief sentences have told the cireun'istances of his
death, and his mortal remains have been committed to the

grave,

Not so shall pass away the memory of this e*cellenttieholar.
Il'hile Learning shall record the acquirements of her chil-
dren—while the virtues of social life shall be dear to the re-
collection—while a vigorous understanding,chastened by deep
erudition, shall ermoble the name of man, his name shall be
first amongst the most distinguished.
The World, by common consent, has ion!: acknowl edged him
the first classical scholar of the age. When Porson died, the
palm beca►se undisputed; will, though we hare still left
amongst us u►en, whom days of undivided toil, and nights of
undiminished study. have rendered accomplished and pro-
found, even by these the name of Burney will continue to
be adduced, as of one who had reached the most eminent

literary ascendancy.
The Rev. Dr. Burney was the son of Charles Burney, Doctor

of Music.

At an early age he distinguished himself for his.proficiency
in .classical learning, and as an assistant to Dr. Rose, at
Chiswick, he perfected himself in those studies which in
his later years acquired him the high reputation he so long
enjoyed.

Upon the Doctor's marriage with Miss Rose, the manage-
mentof the schobl devolved upon him, and for many years
at Hammersmith, and afterwards at Greenwich, the best
portion of his life was passid in the laborious duties of a
schoolmaster.

The eminence to which many of his pupils bare risen in
the pulpit, at the bar, and in the senate, bears strong testi-
ninny to his unwearied assiduity in this arduous profession.
Laborious indeed are the duties of, a schoolmaster, and,
highly praiseworthy is he who can patiently apply himself to
the instruction of youth. ,

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prom the peculiar mortifications attendant upon this task
Dr. Burney was not exempt, although he toiled for so many
years,and with so much success, in this wearisome profession.
After a period of between 20 and 3() years devoted to his
school, he thus strongly, in the preface to his Abridgment of
Bishop Pearson, speaks the language of experience :
" During the latter part of this period, the difficulties, the
" toils, and the solicitude of the schoolmaster's occupation
" have been gradually and greatly increased;, not so mucli
" by the itil days in which we knee fallen,'.as by those
"'extraordinary
.and destructive indulgencies with which
"children are now gratified, during the seasons at which
" they are under the roof of their parents."
" As long as the domestic system of education preserves
" its present form' it will inevitiOly produce a distaste for
" study at school, which the active exertions of a master must
" combat ; a repugnance to regulations which he most vigo-
" rously correct, and a defiance to authority which he must
" incessantly labour to restrain. Let not my brethren, how-
" ever, though the prospect is gloomy, and their cotes are
" augmented, shrink froM the active fulfilment of this ar-
" drums task,. but let them recollect, amidst watchfulness,
" which must enfeeble the stoutest frame, and amidst exer-
" tions which must enervate time must vigorous understanding,
" t hat no occupatimm can be more eminently useful than that
" in whith they are engaged."
From this enervating profession the Doctor, in 1802, totally
retired, leaving in t he !manes of his salt a charge which he had
himself so lung and so honourably exercised.
In the year 1807, Doctor Burney entered into Holy Orders,
and has resided, since his retirement flow the school, at his
Rectory House at Deptford. There, ;in the continued p?ose-
cution of literary pursuits, were passed his latter years.—
Surrounded, by the-noble library he had collected, he enjoyed
in the bosom of his family those pleasures which a cultivated
mind can alone appreciate.
In the full vigour of manhood, with the prdmise of an ex-
tended life, he was sunimoned suddenly, but not unprepared,
to the mansions of eternity.
The sorrows of the living are tint within our province in
this brief notice of the dead. May the proud memory he has
kft behinu him be some consolation to their afflictions.
No man could endear hims'elf to his friends more tho-
roughly than time subject of this sketch. His mind, stored
With the richest treasures of antiquity, was equally attentive
to the literature of the passing day, and the lighter- orna-
ments of social converse flowed from Info with a peculiar
grace and playfulness. To the attainments of the Scholar,
was added the polished carriage of the Gentleman—and in his
conversation, the eye could speak what the tongue might
leave unfinished. His friends will long remember the fas-
cination, and to those who knew WTI uot, the charm is in-
communicable.
As a Divine, the Discipline and OKthodoxy of the Church
found in him a staunch and steady supporter; and, although
he published but few works on religious subjects, those which
he has lett are useful and important.
ss From his cradle
" He was a Scholar, and a ripe and good one,
" Exceeding wise, fair spoken and persuading."
To abler pens than ours be intrusted this feature of his cha-
racter—We presume not to ascend the lofty ground he trod.
As a Husband and a Father, he was kind, affectionate, and
indulgent.
As a man, he possessed, in an enviable degree, those quali-
ties which render life respectable and happy—his habits of
association with the higher classes never pm evented him froni
returning with satisfaction to the pleasures of she study.
His ohcreations were drawn from those mighty sources
of instruction—books and men ; and he had no quality wore
reinarbable than his rapid and natural transition from time
one to the other, adapting his mind to each, as the occasion
of the moment demanded.
His friends were amongst the wise and good—his admirers)
all who knew lino-
Lofty as this police may seem, it is not overstrained—Of
him the language of troth must necessarily in many respects
be the language of panegyric—Alas
" Can flattery soothe the dull cold ear of death ?"
We claim not for his memory an exemption from human
frailties—hilt whatever his might have been, they obtruded
not on the world—To that world he hat left a proud example
of TalentS, Industry, And Learning—And we trust, that ih
rendering our last account to the Great arid Eternal Judge,
our better works, with his, may be accepted; our frailties par-
duued.

Farewell, at length, to lire's delusive dream,
Where folly ranges through each wide extreme--
Farewell the busy world, its hopes, arid fears,
And checapier'd memory of depai t ed., years;
The dart has sped—the parting
struggle's
o'er,
And what Wilt Burney once, is now no more.
And yet, how seldom learning shall entwine
So fresh a laurel for her sons as thine--
Su I ing as science any weed can claim,
To after aces shall descend thy name;
And still, in friendship's mind, shall lire the Lours
tiu utter pulish'd by thy social powors—
In humble hope, the soul ha; soar.il above,
We trust thy slririt. iv a !Saviour's Lure.
11Zanuar.,,, lilt

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