BIB_ID
408105
Accession number
MA 35.35
Creator
Burney, Fanny, 1752-1840.
Display Date
[1821 August].
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1905.
Description
1 item (3 pages, with address) ; 22.4 x 18.3 cm
Notes
No date of writing is given, but FBA learned of her brother's promotion from a letter written by Sarah Payne Burney and dated August 14, 1821. Since FBA writes again to James on around August 25th, it is likely that this letter was written sometime between the 14th and the 25th.
No place of writing is given. However, it is known that FBA was staying with the Cambridges in Twickenham Meadows from August 9th to the 22nd. See The Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney, cited below, for additional information.
Address panel: "To / Admiral Burney, / 26. James Street, / Westminster / Midlesex --."
FBA writes two pages to James, and then addresses the final page of her letter to Sarah Payne Burney.
No place of writing is given. However, it is known that FBA was staying with the Cambridges in Twickenham Meadows from August 9th to the 22nd. See The Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney, cited below, for additional information.
Address panel: "To / Admiral Burney, / 26. James Street, / Westminster / Midlesex --."
FBA writes two pages to James, and then addresses the final page of her letter to Sarah Payne Burney.
Provenance
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan from the London dealer Quaritch in July 1905 as part of a collection of Burney's correspondence and fragments of manuscripts, bound in three volumes. Disbound in 1925.
Summary
Congratulating James on his promotion to Admiral and writing of her joy at the news: "Nothing now on Earth can happen that would give me equal pleasure, except seeing Alex a Dean, or a Bishop"; mentioning that she had had a conversation about the matter with Princess Augusta Sophia in which the princess's conduct strongly suggested that James would receive the promotion; commenting that the coronation of George IV "went off so gloriously -- 'twas a good omen"; promising to write a letter to the famous castrato and friend of the Burneys Gasparo Pacchierotti (with whom James's daughter Sarah had been in touch during her wedding tour in Italy); saying that she has not heard directly from Alex, who is traveling in Europe with his friends Charles Babbage and John Herschel, though she has heard from Babbage's wife Georgiana that they have reached Dijon and are all well; responding to the letter from Sarah Burney with the news of James's promotion (addressing her as "Mrs. Admiral Burney") and describing her reaction to it: "How kind is the Letter of my dear Sister & constant friend! -- I read it with the first sensation of real Joy I have known for more than 3 years -- it was so new to me as almost to be overpowering. Luckily I found it at our dear Sister's, & Charlotte alone was with me. We embraced like the two Kings in the Rehearsal, again & again [...] How delightful a termination of his toils! how honourable, gratifying, & exhilarating!"; mentioning how excited she is to be able to put her brother's new title on the address.
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