Evelina

‘August 3 [1778] --I have an immensity to write.  Susan has copied me a

letter which Mrs. Thrale has written to my father, upon the

occasion of returning my mother two novels by Madame

Riccoboni.  It is so honourable to me, and so sweet in her,

that I must COPY it for my faithful journal.

Streatham, July 22.

Dear Sir,

I forgot to give you the novels in your carriage, which I now

send.  "Evelina" certainly excels them far enough, both in

probability of story, elegance of sentiment, and general power

over the mind, whether exerted in humour or pathos; add to this,

that Riccoboni is a veteran author, and all she ever can be; but

I cannot tell what might not be expected from "Evelina," were she

to try her genius at comedy.

So far had I written of my letter, when Mr. Johnson returned

home, full of the praises of the book I had lent him, and

protesting there Were passages in it which Might do honour to

Richardson.  We talk of it for ever, and he feels ardent after

the d`enouement; hee "could not get rid of the rogue," he said.

I lent him the second volume, and he is now busy with the other.

You must be more a philosopher, and less a father, than I wish

you, not to be pleased with this letter ; and the giving such

pleasure yields to nothing but receiving it.  Long, my dear sir,

may you live to enjoy the just praises of your children! and long

may they live to deserve and delight such a parent!  These are

things that you would say in verse - but poetry implies fiction,

and all this is naked truth.

My compliments to Mrs. Burney, and kindest wishes to all your

flock, etc.

How, sweet, how amiable in this charming woman is her desire of

making my dear father satisfied with his scribbler's 'attempt!  I

do, indeed, feel the most grateful love for her.  But Dr.

Johnson's approbation!--It almost crazed me with agreeable

surprise--it gave me such a flight of spirits that I danced a jig

to Mr. Crisp, Without any preparation, music, or explanation;--to

his no small amazement and diversion.  I left him, however, to

make his own comments upon my friskiness without affording him

the smallest assistance.’

Like Walter Scott, Frances Burney published her first novel anonymously.  It’s easy to understand her happiness when Samuel Johnson pronounced the novel a success.  Mrs. Thrale’s letter of July 22, 1778 reinforced that happiness. 

It’s also easy to see how Scott could appreciate how Ms. Burney reacted to success while her authorship was still unknown.  From Annie Raine Ellis’ introduction to “Evelina”, as published for Bohn’s Novelist’s Library in 1922.

‘A certain Sir John [Shelley], said he had never seen any woman walk so well; and she [Fanny Burney, Madame D’Arblay] dance with great  spirit.  When she learnt the great success of “Evelina”, after cheking a longing to throw Mr. Crisp’s wig out of the window, she danced a jig round the old mulberry-tree in his garden.  Mr. Crisp was not in the secret, but put it down to her flow of spirits, after recovery from severe illness.  Sir Walter Scott was so pleased with this tale (a pretty subject for a painter), that fifty years later he wrote it down from her telling: 

November 18.--Was introduced by Rogers to Mad. D'Arblay, the

celebrated authoress of Evelina and Cecilia,--an elderly lady, with

no remains of personal beauty, but with a gentle manner and a pleasing

expression of countenance. She told me she had wished to see two

persons--myself, of course, being one; the other George Canning. This

was really a compliment to be pleased with--a nice little handsome pat

of butter made up by a neat-handed Phillis of a dairymaid, instead

of the grease, fit only for cart-wheels, which one is dosed with by the

pound. Mad. D'Arblay told us the common story of Dr. Burney, her

father, having brought home her own first work, and recommended it to

her perusal, was erroneous. Her father was in the secret of Evelina

being printed. But the following circumstances may have given rise to

the story:--Dr. Burney was at Streatham soon after the publication,

where he found Mrs. Thrale recovering from her confinement, low at the

moment, and out of spirits. While they were talking together, Johnson,

who sat beside in a kind of reverie, suddenly broke out, "You should

read this new work, madam--you should read Evelina; every one says it

is excellent, and they are right." The delighted father obtained a

commission from Mrs. Thrale to purchase his daughter's work, and retired

the happiest of men. Mad. D'Arblay said she was wild with joy at this

decisive evidence of her literary success, and that she could only give

vent to her rapture by dancing and skipping round a mulberry-tree in the

garden. She was very young at this time. I trust I shall see this lady

again. She has simple and apparently amiable manners, with quick

feelings.’