BIB_ID
408253
Accession number
MA 35.57
Creator
Burney, Fanny, 1752-1840.
Display Date
[1814 May].
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1905.
Description
1 item (2 pages, with address) ; 22.8 x 18.6 cm
Notes
There is no date of writing. Based on internal evidence, this letter appears to have been written in the spring of 1814, amidst the family conversations that followed the death of Charles Burney and the problems raised by his will. The catalog record for MA 35.52 has a fuller explanation of the issues under discussion. In The Journals and Letters of Fanny Burney, Bloom and Bloom suggest that this letter was written either on May 20 or 21st, based on FBA's diary entries. See the published correspondence, cited below, for additional information.
No place of writing is given. Bloom and Bloom posit that this letter was probably written at 63 Lower Sloane Street in London, where FBA was living at this time.
Address panel with black seal: "Mrs. Burney, / John Street, / Oxford Street."
No place of writing is given. Bloom and Bloom posit that this letter was probably written at 63 Lower Sloane Street in London, where FBA was living at this time.
Address panel with black seal: "Mrs. Burney, / John Street, / Oxford Street."
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
Saying that she is sorry that James has refused the offer of a share in the proceeds from the mortgage she and Esther had inherited from their father; writing that, in these circumstances, Monsieur d'Arblay does not think that she and Esther can offer the share to James's children, because of the resentment this could cause throughout the family: "Charlotte [Broome], already chagrined that her 4 Children alone of the second race are not mentioned, will be still less satisfied; Sarah, already sorrowful for the 2 omitted Grand-Children in India, will think their case still harder [referring to Sarah Harriet Burney's concern for her brother Richard's children]; the Motherless, & worse than Fatherless William Phillips would hold himself authorized also to some added consideration: & even Charles, though acquiescent to the proposal made to James, talks pointedly of his own -- what he calls diminished £750, the moment the second line is mentioned"; adding that it would be better for all if James simply accepted the offer; saying that they agree to turning over the handling of the matter to the lawyer John de Gourcey in Ireland and to Martin in England; offering an alternate proposal, which is that the share could be given to Sarah Payne Burney: "That, perhaps, would obviate all objections, as from Her it could descend, at once or hereafter, as was judged best, to her Children"; mentioning that Monsieur d'Arblay has gone to West Humble and will probably stay the night at Norbury Park with Frederica Locke; adding that she has shown this letter to d'Arblay "who approves it."
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