Fanny Burney Quotes

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

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!

Concealment is the foe of tranquility.

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

It is sometimes dangerous to make requests to men, who are too desirous of receiving them.

You could not see and know her, and remain unmoved by those sensations of affection which belong to so near and tender a relationship.

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

Tis best to build no castles in the air.

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!

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.

But how cool, how quiet is true courage!

Another gentleman ... desired to know if I was engaged, or would honour him with my hand [to dance]. So he was pleased to say, tho ... Another gentleman ... desired to know if I was engaged, or would honour him with my hand [to dance]. So he was pleased to say, though I am sure I know not what honour he could receive from me; but these sort of expressions, I find, are used as words of course, without any distinction of persons, or study of propriety.

There is nothing", answered he, "which requires more immediate notice than impertinence, for it ever encroaches when it is tolerated.

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

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

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.

Falsehood is not more unjustifiable than unsafe.

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

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.

The mind naturally accommodates itself, even to the most ridiculous improprieties, if they occur frequently.

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.

To a heart formed for friendship and affection the charms of solitude are very short-lived.

In the bosom of her respectable family resided Camilla.

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!

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.

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.

The easiness with which she hears of her faults, is only another effect of the levity with which she commits them.

he has no more manners than a bear,

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!

Wealth per se I never too much valued, and my acquaintance with its possessors has by no means increased my veneration for it.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Lord Orville seemed by no means to think the Captain worthy an argument, upon a subject concerning which he had neither knowledge nor feeling.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

I have the honour to be quite of your Lordship's opinion," said Mr. Lovel, looking maliciously at Mrs. Selwyn, "for I have an insuperable aversion to strength, either of body or mind, in a female."
"Faith, and so have I," said Mr. Coverley; "for egad I'd as soon see a woman chop wood, as hear her chop logic."
"So would every man in his senses," said Lord Merton; "for a woman wants nothing to recommend her but beauty and good nature; in every thing else she is either impertinent or unnatural. For my part, deuce take me if ever I wish to hear a word of sense from a woman as long as I live!"
"It has always been agreed," said Mrs. Selwyn, looking round her with the utmost contempt, "that no man ought to be connected with a woman whose understanding is superior to his own. Now I very much fear, that to accommodate all this good company, according to such a rule, would be utterly impracticable, unless we should chuse subjects from Swift's hospital of idiots.

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

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.

The Spring is generally fertile in new acquaintances.

O! I must tell you that I have fallen in love with a gentleman whom I have lately come acquainted with: he is about 60 or 70 - has ... O! I must tell you that I have fallen in love with a gentleman whom I have lately come acquainted with: he is about 60 or 70 - has the misfortune to be humpbacked, crooked legged, and rather deformed in his face. - But, in sober sadness, I am delighted with the Dean of Coleraine, whose picture this is, and which I have very lately read. The piety, the zeal, the humanity, goodness and humility of this charming old man have won my heart. Ah! who will not envy him the invaluable treasure!

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

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

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.

I have this very moment finished reading a novel called The Vicar of Wakefield [by Oliver Goldsmith] ... It appears to me, to be impossible any person could read this book through with a dry eye and yet, I don't much like it ... There is but very little story, the plot is thin, the incidents very rare, the sentiments uncommon, the vicar is contented, humble, pious, virtuous
but upon the whole the book has not at all satisfied my expectations.

A little alarm now and then keeps life from stagnation.

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.

But if the young are never tired of erring in conduct, neither are the older in erring of judgment.

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

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.

I revere you. I esteem and 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 ... You are now all my own ... How will my soul find room for its happiness? It seems already bursting!

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.

Credulity is the sister of innocence ...

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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,

Young, animated, entirely off your guard, and thoughtless of consequences, Imagination took the reins; and Reason, slow-paced, though sure-footed, was unequal to the race of so eccentric and flighty a companion. How rapid was then my Evelina's progress through those regions of fancy and passion whither her new guide conducted her!-She saw Lord Orville at a ball,-and he was the most amiable of men! -She met him again at another,-and he had every virtue under Heaven!

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.

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

But authors before they write should read.

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!

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.

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

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.

The world ... is too full of real evil for me at least, to cause one moment of unnecessary uneasiness to any of its poor pilgrims. 'Tis strange ... that this is not more generally considered, since the advantage would be so reciprocal from man to man. But wrapt up in our own short moment, we forget our neighbour's long hour! and existence is ultimately embittered to all, by the refined susceptibility for ourselves that monopolizes our feelings.

I am ashamed of confessing that I have nothing to confess.

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.