The sun., 1892-10-23

/ that ft was q failure. she suppressed IL In
1882. however. she published her second
novel. "Cccilia." Public expectation had been
raised so high with reference to this story
that, II is said no romance OF Walter Scott was
| more impatiently awaited. or more eager
ly snatcbed from the counters OF the
booksellers. Yet even for this produo-
| tion. issued whom her fame was at It's
| height, she received no more than TWO
| hundred and fifty pounds. There seems TO be
no foundation for Macaulays estimate OF two
| thousand pounds as the sum derived by the
author from this novel Since writing y Eve.
lima" Miss Burney had taken the Rambler
for model. and in Cecilia" there are many
| traces OF an imitation Of Johnson's manner.
There were ill-natured people who whispered
that Johnson had assisted his young friend.
hut this was merely tho fabrication OF envy.
Miss Burney's characteristic excellencie lies were
far beyond Johnson's reach. Macaulay In
decd. suggested that the Doctor might have
revised " Cecilia" and retouched tho style OF
many passages. but this con- lecture Is disposed
OF by Johnson's explicit declaration that he
never saw one word OF the novel before 1t was
printed.
1t was after tho publication OF this
story that Miss Burney first saw Edmund
Burke whom Macaulny has called the
greatest EnRlishman since Milton. Miss
ure Is noble his air commanding. his address
graceful: his voice Ia clenr. penetrating.
sonorous. and powerful: his language Is
copious. various. and eloquent: his manners
are attractive. his conversation Is delightful
Since we lost Garrick I have seen nobody
so enchanting. can give you. however. very
little OF what was said. for the conversation
was not sucie. Mr.. Burke darling from subject
to subject with as much rapldity as entertain
mont. Neither is the charm Of his discourse
more In the matter than the manner: all.
therefore. that is related from him loses half
its effect In not being related by him." 1t was
at an assembly given by Miss Monck-
ton that she next met Mr.. Burke. He
was very near-sighted and sat down In
vacant place by her side without know
ing 1t. She tells Us in the diary that she
could not wait but turned toward him
and bowed: He seemed quite amazed. and
really made me ashamed. however delighted.
BY tho expressive civlity and distinction with
which he instantly arose to return my bow
and stood the whole time he was making his
compliments upon seeing me. aud calling him
self tho blindest OF men for not finding mo
out sooner. Mrs. Burke. who was seated near
mo- said loud enough for me to hear her:
'Seel seel What q Irritation Mr.. Burke is
beginning with Miss Burney! And before my
face. too These ceremonies over. he sat
down by mo and began a conversation which
you. my dearest Susy. would be glad to hear
for my sake. word for word; but which really
could not listen to with sufficient ease, from
shame at his warm euloGiuns. to remember
with any accuracy" The general substance.
however. she was able to recollect and It ran as
follows: After many eloquent compliments
upon the book. too delicate either
to shock or slcken the incest ear.
Burke very emphatically congratulated
her upon its universal success. said
"he was now too late to speak OF It. since he
could only echo the voice Of the whole ma
tion." and added with laugh. II had hoped
to have made some merit Of my enthusiasm.
but tho moment l went about to hear what
others say 1 found myself merely one in q
multitude" Burke then told tho author Of
"Cecilia" that notwithstanding his admira-
tion he was the man who had dared to find
some faults with so favorite and fashionable
work. She entreated him to tell her what
they were. and assured him nothing would
make her so happy as to correct them under
his direction. lie then enumerated them. but
as scarcely any ono now reads tho novel It is
not worth while to reproduce his criticisms.
Passing from his comments on the structure
and management Of the story. Burke looked
archly at Miss Burney. then gazed around him
and said: Arc you sitting hero for charac-
ters3 Nothing. BY the way. struck me moro in
reading your book than the admirable skill |
with which your ingenious characters make |
themselves known by their own words"
VI.
It was three years after the publication OF |
Cecilia" that Miss Burney made tho mistake |
OF her life by accepting the appointment to be |
one OF the keepers OF the Queens robes in the |
royal household. The exuitation with which |
Fanny's friends greeted tho offer OF this post |
says little for their common sense. Even |
Burke. who ought to have known better fell In |
with tho general infatuation. although he at |
least must havc felt that the honor was not all |
on Fanny's side. 1t was. in plain language. q |
menial Office which Fanny shared with q Mrs. |
Schwellenberg. whom Macaulay has fltly de- |
scribed as an old hag. The most popular
writer OF prose fiction then alive. whose tai |
ents had captivated the most distinguished |
men OF the time was thenceforth con-
demned to spend hor days In mixing snuff |
and sticking pins. summoned by waiting
woman's bell to a waiting woman's duties.
For Ave years she was compelled to pass her
life under the restraint OF paltry etiquette.
obliged sometimes to fast when she was
ready to swoon with hunger. and sometimes
to stand till her knees gave way with fatigue.
afraid to sneak or move without considering
how her mistress might like her words and
gestures For five years she gave UP her bodily
and mental freedom. and the rccomr ense OF
her sacrifice was her board. her lodging. the
attendance Of a man servant. and two hundred
pounds year. Tho large part OF the diary
which treats OF her lifo In the royal household
is melancholy reading. The reader revolts ar
the attitude Of Difference in which she contin-
ually had to stand toward tho King. who was
silly when he was not crazy. and to-
ward the Queen. whose mind was at
once narrow and shallow. The wretched
monotony and intellectual staGnation Of
her life at court, tho drudRery and the actual
privations to which she was subjected. we'll
nigh wrecked Miss Burney's health. and all
who saw her pale face. emacated figure. and
feeble walk predicted that her sufTerings
would soon be ovor. When weak. feverish.
and hardly able to stand she had still to rise
before in order to dress "the sweet Queen"
and to sit up till midnight In order to undress
"the sweet Queen" 1t was. it seems. the es-
doctrine n thA rOurt that all giCk. |