though I remember when I first came into the world it was thought but a poor compliment to say a person did a thing like a lady!'

"Ay, Sir Joshua,' cried Dr. Burney, 'but like Molière's physician, nous avons changé tout celà !'

Then

"Now,' interrupted Mr. Burke warmly, 'to talk of writing like a lady is the greatest compliment that need be wished for by a man!' archly shrugging his shoulders, he added, What is left now exclusively for US, and what we are to devise in our own defence, I know not! We seem to have nothing for it but assuming a sovereign contempt, for the next most dignified thing to possessing merit is an heroic barbarism in despising it!""

Fanny's entrance into the great literary world as one of its members was hailed with delight by her "Daddy" Crisp. He writes to her at this time

"I long of all things to see the continuation. of your Journal. If you answer me you have not continued it, you are unpardonable, and I advise you to set about it immediately as well as you can while any trace of it remains in your memory. It will one day," he adds prophetically, "be the delight of your old age-it will call back your youth, your spirits, your pleasures, your friends (at that time probably long gone off the stage), and lastly, when your own scene is closed, remain a valuable treasure for those that come after you."

CHAPTER XV

"THE WITLINGS”

WE have seen that the great Sheridan himself advised Miss Burney to write for the stage, and in the mean time her friends at Streatham were urging the same counsel.

In an unpublished letter from Mrs. Thrale to Fanny, dated December, 1778, the writer says: "Sheridan has really behaved with great politeness; pity to let it cool, I think, and Mr. Johnson says so too. The Stage is certainly the high road to riches and to fame, and the broad-wheeled waggons which have gone over it lately will only have rolled it smooth, I hope, for our elegant Vis-à-vis."*

When Fanny was introduced to Mr. Murphy, the dramatist, he remarked to her with a shrewd look, "If I had written a certain book—a book I

* "A narrow coach, in which only two persons can sit facing each other, seldom used by any other than persons of high character or fashion." See Felton's "Treatise on Carriages," 1795.

won't name, but a book I have lately read, I would next write a Comedy. . . . Comedy is the fort of that book . . . and if the author-I won't say who will write a comedy, I will most readily and with great pleasure give any advice or assistance in my power."

Mrs. Montagu, too, had thrown the weight of her opinion into the scale, for she had observed to Mrs. Thrale, "If Miss Burney does write a play, I beg I may know of it, and if she thinks proper, see it; and all my influence is at her service."

But Fanny's shrewd adviser at Chesington gave her a word of warning.

"I plainly foresaw," he writes, "that as your next step you would be urged, strongly urged, by your many friends and admirers to undertake a comedy. I think you capable, highly capable of it, but in the attempt there are great difficulties in the way; some more particularly in the way a Fanny than of most people."

of

After describing the nature of the lively sallies, bordering on coarseness, then in vogue on the stage, he goes on to say: "The sum total amounts to this; it appears to me extremely difficult throughout a whole spirited comedy, to steer clear of those agreeable, frolicsome jeux d'esprit on the one hand, and languor and heaviness on the other :-pray observe, I only say

difficult-not impracticable-at least to your dexterity; and to that I leave it.

I am very glad that you have secured Mrs. Montagu for your friend; her weight and interest are powerful; but there is one particular I do not relish; though she means it as a mark of favour and distinction ;-it is where she says, 'If Miss Burney does write a play, I beg I may know of it, and (if she thinks proper) see it.'

"Now, Fanny, this same seeing it (in a professed female wit, authoress, and Mæcenas into the bargain) I fear implies too much interference -implies advising, correcting, altering, &c., &c., &c.; not only so but in so high a critic, the not submitting to such grand authority might possibly give a secret, concealed, lurking offense. Now d'ye see.... I would have the whole be all my own-all of a piece; and to tell you the truth, I would not give a pin for the advice of the ablest friend who would not suffer me at last to follow my own judgment without resentment."

At the end of this letter there follows, in the original manuscript, a passage in which Crisp humorously supposes a dialogue between himself and Fanny

"Crisp: Most likely, Fanny, this tedious. homily must have tired you.'

* Burney MSS.

66

Fanny: If you think so why did you write it?'

"Crisp: I don't know; it came into my head; and as I told you once before on a former occasion, I have no notion of reserve among Friends.'

Fanny: You think then I have need of all this tutoring, and that I can't see my way without your old Spectacles?'

Crisp: 'No, no, Fanny. I think no such thing, besides, you have other sorts of Spectacles at Streatham to put on if you should want them, but you know old men are much given to garrulity, and old Daddys particularly that have been long used to prate, don't know how to give over in time.'

"Fanny: 'Well, well, prithee have done now.' "Crisp: Allow'd. Agree'd. God bless you, Adieu.'"

Fanny did write a play after all, which she called "The Witlings," and which was finished by the summer of 1779. She received unbounded sympathy in her undertaking from her Streatham friends, and notably from the great Dr. Johnson, who had become warmly attached to his "little Burney." Still Fanny had her secret doubts of success in this new walk of literature, and of all her advisers she looked to her "two Daddies" to give the final judgment upon her work.