Susan Burney | |
|---|---|
_by_Edward_Francisco_Burney_crop.png) Burney's portrait by her cousinEdward Francis Burney, c. 1777 | |
| Born | Susanna Elizabeth Burney (1755-01-07)7 January 1755 King's Lynn, England |
| Died | 6 January 1800(1800-01-06) (aged 44) |
| Other names | Susanna Elizabeth Phillips |
| Known for | Letters and journals |
| Spouse | |
Susanna Elizabeth Burney, later known asSusanna Elizabeth Phillips (7 January 1755 – 6 January 1800), was an English writer. She wrote 650,000 words and her letters are said to be "the most important source on opera in the period".
Burney was born inKing's Lynn on a day in January 1755 which was either the 4th or the 7th. She was the fourth child and third daughter of Dr.Charles Burney (1726–1814) and his first wife,Esther Sleepe (c.1725–1762). Her father's children included the seafarerJames Burney, the writerFrances "Fanny" Burney, the scholar Charles Burney and the writerSarah Harriet Burney. Her elder sister Esther went with her in 1764 when their father took them to France to improve their French. Burney was in France until 1766, learning the language which was thought likely to improve her prospects of employment as a governess.[1] At some point, she also gained a good knowledge of Italian.[2]
She was the child in the Burney family who was most interested in music, which was her father's expertise. He was an organist who became known for his writing after he published books on the music of France, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. She and her sister Fanny were very close: the singerGaspare Pacchierotti said they had "one mind",[1] although it was Susanna who loved his "divine"castrato singing[3] and as usual recorded these thoughts in her journal letters. Her letters were all addressed to Fanny, and Fanny wrote all her journal letters to her. Susan's letters have proved to be a valuable source about society and music, and also history – including her eye-witness account of theGordon Riots.[4]
When Fanny secretly wrote and published her first novelEvelina, they were both involved in the cover-up.[1]
She married Molesworth Phillips in 1782.[1] He was a marine who had sailed with her brother, James.[5] Her brother and her new husband had sailed with CaptainJames Cook to Hawaii and had witnessedhis death. Her husband had been injured in the squabble with islanders when Cook had been killed.[1] The newly married couple lived in Ipswich until they returned for the birth of their daughter in October. She was named after her favourite sister, Fanny. The three of them lived atChessington Hall with a dramatist friend of their fathers,Samuel Crisp, until he died in the following year.[1]
Her third child, William (Willy), was born in 1791.
In 1796 she travelled to Ireland to see her son and her estranged husband. His affair with Burney's cousin was not a secret, and Burney's health was affected by the situation.[5]
Burney died atParkgate near Chester, having recently sailed to England to escape mistreatment by her husband.[5]
Her letters and journals survive. She is estimated to have written 650,000 words in her lifetime. There is a Susan Burney Letters Project at theUniversity of Nottingham and her writings are held by theNew York Public Library, theBritish Museum andYale University Library. Her letters are said to be "by far the most important source on opera in the period" especially as they were not used by later historians.[2]
After her death, her sister Fanny stopped writing her journal letters to her, but encouraged by her husband she persevered and addressed new letters to her son.
