Editing Frances Burney (section)

==Hester Thrale and Streatham==
''Evelina'' brought Burney to the attention of a patron of the arts, [[Hester Thrale]], who invited Burney to visit her home in [[Streatham]]. The house was a centre for literary and political conversation. Though shy by nature, Burney reportedly impressed those she met, including Dr Johnson, who would remain a friend and correspondent throughout the period of her visits, from 1779 to 1783. Thrale wrote to Dr Burney on 22 July: "Mr. Johnson returned home full of the Prayes of the Book I had lent him, and protesting that there were passages in it which might do honour to [[Samuel Richardson|Richardson]]: we talk of it for ever, and he feels ardent after the dénouement; he could not get rid of the Rogue, he said."{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=827}} Many of Johnson's compliments were transcribed into Burney's diary. Visits to Streatham occupied months at a time, and on several occasions the guests, including Frances Burney, made trips to [[Brighton]] and to [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. Like other notable events, these were recorded in letters to her family.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica 451"/>