Frances Burney Quotes


"To whom, then, must I dedicate my wonderful, surprising and interesting adventures? to whom dare I reveal my private opinion of my nearest relations? the secret thoughts of my dearest friends? my own hopes, fears, reflections and dislikes? Nobody!"
- Frances Burney
(Related: Thoughts, Friends, Opinion)

"The mind is but too naturally prone to pleasure, but too easily yielded to dissipation."
- Frances Burney
(Related: Mind, Pleasure)

"People who live together naturally catch the looks and air of one another and without having one feature alike, they contract a something in the whole countenance which strikes one as a resemblance."
- Frances Burney
(Related: People)

"Insensibility, of all kinds, and on all occasions, most moves my imperial displeasure."
- Frances Burney
"I cannot be much pleased without an appearance of truth; at least of possibility I wish the history to be natural though the sentiments are refined; and the characters to be probable, though their behaviour is excelling."
- Frances Burney
(Related: History, Truth, Possibility, Appearance)

"A youthful mind is seldom totally free from ambition; to curb that, is the first step to contentment, since to diminish expectation is to increase enjoyment."
- Frances Burney
(Related: Ambition, Contentment, Enjoyment, Expectation, First, Mind)

"We continually say things to support an opinion, which we have given, that in reality we don't above half mean."
- Frances Burney
(Related: Opinion, Reality, Support)