New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-28

diaries prove. Excellent practice too was the
writing OF innumerable voluminous letters TO
Daddy Crisp, long laid UP by govt in his Olrrey
mansion and avid of news Of his FanniLin a
OF that interesting London world Of Hteratu.I
and art and music he had perfor,e quilted for
ever. Most Of the famous people of this world
came to Or. Burney's house furnishing as the
bIographer says, an unexampleI school Of char
actcr-and to us, as roam through Fanny's
beguiling pages, a rich mine Of eighteenth CEN
fury portraiture.
Among these visitors was DR. Johnson. an
object Of awe to the young lady. who ueverthe-
less found him very Ill-favorcd parsonage.
nearly bent double, with body iu continual
agitation OF twisting and see-sawiu,, and 4
mouth continually opening and shutting as if
chewing. But "the very sight of him inspires
me with delight and reverence" she saws when
describing the occasion on which. after the
revelation Of her authorship, he comes to sit
beside her at Mrs ThraIe's dinner EIephan-
tine were the great mans compliments. Il am
too proud now to eat of it," said he. concerning
a mutton pie. Sitting by Miss Burney makes
me very proud to-day" And when he related
an anecdotc q a penurious vulgarian he added:
Now, Madame DUval could not have done a
grosser thingH' Then who proud as the
young creator of Madame Duval! oh, how
7erybody laughed" she writes, 'and to be sure
l did not glow at all. munich fast, nor look
on my plate. nor lose any part Of my usual COM
posture! But how grateful do 1 feel to this dear
DR.. johnson for never naming ne and the book
as belonging one to the other and yet making
aIusion that showed his thoughts led to it,,
and at the same time, that seemed to justify
the character as being naturalr' In later in
terviews the photographer was more outspoken
with his little Burney." as he called her. ~
no cIy Will far
Smiths and her Braughtonsw Those characters
In "EveIina" he never tired of admiring ooh,
Mr.. Smith, Mr.. Smith is the man. he would
cry with loud laughter. Harry Fielding never
drew so good character!-such fine varnish
OF low poiteness-such a struggle to appear
gentleman! Madam, there is no character better
drawn anywhere-in any book, or by any au-
thor" Happy Fanny! 81 almost poked myself
under the table" she declares. Never did I
feel so delicious a confusion since l was born
Mr.. Dobson is quietly appreciative of little
Burney's" masterpiece, though his guarded
phrases would not have pleased the delighted
Johnson. The plot he justly holds. is neither
original nor intricate and the construction is
conventional He speaks slightingly OF the style
and notes the absence of endeavor after mental
analysis. The distinctive merit of the story he
adds Consists in the skill and graphic power
of the character drawing; in the clever contrast
of the different individuality; in the authors
keen if somewhat crude sense OF the ridiculous;
and above all in the sprightliness and vivacity
of her narrative. especially when she writes IN
the person of the heroine And this last in
great measure is due to the fact that in Eve
lima Miss Burney has portrayed her younger
self" His estimate Of Cecilia" Miss Burneys
second novel. is equally cool; and here the mod
ern admirers Of the lady's works will agree
with him. parting company with Johnson, who
said to Boswell in interval Of snubbing, Sir,
if you talk of Cecilia talk on" In truth. this
with all the rest of Miss Burney's later pro-
ductions might well have been left in the limbo
of things UndOne. II is as the author Of Eve
lima" and of a collection of fascinating letters
and diaries that she viii DE remembered. Mr..
Dobson's account of her later life as Queen
Charlotte's much worried dresser and as the
happy wife o. the French refugee Alexandra
dArblay. Is like the rest OF this book, careful
and agreeable. 1t Will give pleasure to many
readers; but its chief virtue, We believe, will be
found in the irresistible invitation which those
readers will find written between its lines-an
invitation to seek for themselves the fountain
head OF its most piquant material, the capti-
waiting journals and letters of Little Burney.'