Fanny Burney
Frances Burney (1752–1840)
The celebrated English novelist, diarist and playwright commonly known as Fanny Burney became Madame d'Arblay in 1793. At the age of forty-two, she married the French exile, General Alexandre d'Arblay. Burney was among the many literate English figures who sympathized with the ideals of equality and social justice of the French Revolution. In 1801, her husband was offered service with the government of Napoleon Bonaparte in France. Burney followed him to Paris a year later.
The outbreak of the war between France and England prevented her from returning to England for ten years. During that time, Burney continued to write. Her voluminous correspondence describes significant events of the Revolution, as well as her mastectomy without anesthesia.
Following is her account of the execution of King Louis XVI of France from: Burney, Fanny. Diary and Letters of Madame D’Arblay / edited by her niece. New ed. London: Published for H. Colburn by Hurst and Blackett, 1854. SpC. 823 B965d1854