Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 07.djvu/426

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his frequent guest (Diary, v. 284–96). Miss Burney next resided at Chelsea College with her parents, where her mother died in 1796 (Memoirs of Dr. Burney, iii. 224–5). At this date her father characterised her as of quick intellect and distinguished talents, a kind and good girl, but with no experience in household affairs. In 1796 she brought out her first novel, ‘Clarentine,’ anonymously. This was well received, and was read by the king and queen (Diary, vi. 128). In 1808 she brought out ‘Geraldine Fauconberg;’ in 1812 ‘Traits of Nature,’ the first edition of which ‘charming novel was sold in three months’ (Biog. Dict. of Living Authors), compelling a second issue the same year; and in 1813 a second edition of ‘Geraldine Fauconberg’ was called for. In 1814 Miss Burney lost her father, but she was not immediately removed from Chelsea College, whence, in December 1815, she published ‘Tales of Fancy,’ with her name, dedicating the first tale to Lady Crewe, and the second, by royal permission, to the Princess Elizabeth. After this she left England for Florence, where she passed several years, and where she began to write her ‘Romance of Private Life,’ which she published after her return home in 1839, the first tale in it being dedicated to Niccolini, the Italian singer, and the second to Lord Crewe. In 1844, on 8 Feb., Miss Burney died at Cheltenham (Gent. Mag. new ser. xxi. 442), bequeathing some of her property to her half-nephew, Martin Charles Burney, the friend of Lamb (Annual Reg. 1852, p. 322).

‘The Wanderer’ is frequently set down as one of Sarah Harriet Burney's books. This is an error. It was written by Madame d'Arblay (Diary, vii. 15–16).

[Mme. d'Arblay's Diary, ed. 1854, i. Introd. 13, 31, v. 159, 162, 191, 220, 253, 294–6, vi. 3, 77, 128, vii. 15, 16; Mme. d'Arblay's Memoirs of Dr. Burney, 1832, i. 88, 97, iii. 224, 225, 410, 425; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Gent. Mag. new ser. xxi. 442; Annual Reg. 1852, p. 322; Biog. Dict. of Living Authors, 1816.]

J. H.

BURNEYEAT, JOHN (1631–1690), quaker, was born in 1631 at Crabtreebeck, near Loweswater, Cumberland. Until he became a quaker his history is unknown. From a scanty journal he kept we learn that he was an uneducated, hard-working farmer, sensitively religious, and, like so many of his fellow north-countrymen, dissatisfied both with the formality of the Anglican church and the narrowness of the puritans. When George Fox and a number of his followers went into Cumberland in 1653, Burneyeat attended some of their meetings, and being, to use his own words, ‘convinced of the blessed truth,’ became a Friend. For the next few years he continued his farming, and, although ‘he was diligent in attending meetings,’ and occasionally ‘testified’ publicly, he does not appear to have been either imprisoned or fined. In 1657 he felt it his duty to take a more prominent part in the affairs of the sect, and, in obedience to what he deemed a divine command, attended a service at Aspetry ‘Steeple-house,’ where, the preacher propounding some subtle questions, he attempted to reply, and was promptly turned out. From this time he constantly attended and disturbed services, with the result that he was frequently threatened and occasionally beaten. Towards the end of this year he was imprisoned at Carlisle for brawling, though in fact he had been merely a silent attendant at the service at which he was arrested; but, after being detained for nearly six months, was discharged without trial. In 1658 he made an unsuccessful attempt to plant quakerism in Scotland, and then, after spending a few months on his farm, he made a similar effort in Ireland, where he was imprisoned several times for short periods, and was more than once nearly starved to death in crossing what were then almost uninhabited parts of the island. Burneyeat was a born missionary, and in 1660 felt ‘moved’ to visit America. For nearly two years he resisted the impulse, until, its strength increasing, he sought out George Fox and consulted him on the matter. Shortly afterwards he was again arrested and sent to prison for refusing to take the sacrament, and was treated with considerable harshness. According to his own account he was released at the end of fourteen weeks, because ‘there was a bowling-alley before the prison door, where several of the magistrates and others used to come to their games; and hearing my voice they were offended and sent me away.’ In 1664 he sailed from Galway for Barbadoes, where he was occupied for several months in endeavouring to counteract the heretical practices which John Perrot had introduced among the quakers in that island. From Barbadoes he went to Maryland, and thence to Virginia. Here, too, he found Perrot's heresies had been planted, and the greater part of his time was occupied in rooting them out. When this was done he visited the Friends in New England, and in 1667 he returned to his native country. The next three years were occupied with journeys which embraced the greater part of England, Ireland, and Wales. According to Besse's ‘Sufferings,’ in 1670 he was fined 20l. for speaking at a meeting at Devonshire House, Bishopsgate; and, as he