Lifespan: 1772-1844
Nationality: English
Genres: Romantic Period
Types of Work: Novels
Contemporaries: Fanny Burney
Style: Romance and Mystery
Bio: Sarah Burney, half-sister of Fanny Burney, was the daughter of Charles Burney and Elizabeth Allen. She was born in Lynn Regis, England on August 29, 1772. She was raised by her relatives of her mother in Norfolk until 1775, when she joined her parents in London. In 1781, she was sent to Switzerland to complete her education, where she acquired a vast knowledge of French and Italian. Her language skills gave her the opportunity to serve as an interpreter for French refugee nobles.
Her adult life was spent caring for her elderly parents. Her father's ill-temper, combined with Sarah's desertion of him in favor of her brother during the years 1798-1803, led to a contentious relationship with him. Despite her hard work caring for him and his household, she received very little inheritance when he died.
In 1829, Sarah moved to Italy, where she lived mainly in Florence with her neice. Eventually, she returned to Bath, and then moved on to Cheltenham, where she died in 1844.
As a whole, Sarah's life was characterized by loneliness and fractured relationships. Her novels served to provide her with a meager income, and opportunity to live out the social life she never had.
Her first two novels, Clarentine and Geraldine Fauconberg were both published anonymously. Jane Austen criticized Clarentine, citing it as "full of unnatural conduct and forced difficulties". Her next three novels, Traits of Nature, The Shipwreck, and Country Neighbors met with more success.
Her literary reputation was summed up in her father's memoir: "A still younger sister followed the track of Madame D'Arblay… with considerable, though not equal success."
Novels:
Geraldine Fauconberg
The Romance of Private Life
Tales of Fancy
Traits of Nature