His earliest musical instructor was his eldest half brother, Mr. James
Burney, who was then, and for more than half a century afterwards,
organist of St. Margaret’s, Shrewsbury; in which city the young
musician elect began his professional studies.
It was, however, in age only that Mr. James Burney was his brother’s
senior or superior; from him, therefore, whatever could be given or
received, was finished almost ere it was begun, from the quickness
with which his pupil devoted himself to what he called the slavery of
conquering unmeaning difficulties in the lessons of the times.
The following spirited paragraph on his juvenile progress is
transcribed from his early memorandums.
“The celebrated Felton, and after him, the first Dr. Hayes,
came from Oxford to Shrewsbury on a tour, while I was
studying hard, without instruction or example; and they
amazed and stimulated me so forcibly by their performance
on the organ, as well as by their encouragement, that I
thenceforward went to work with an ambition and fury that
would hardly allow me to eat or sleep.
“The quantity of music which I copied at this time, of
all kinds, was prodigious; and my activity and industry
surprised every body; for, besides writing, teaching, tuning,
and playing for my brother, at my _momens perdus_, I was
educating myself in every way I was able. With copy-books,
I improved my hand-writing so much, that my father did not
believe I wrote my letters to him myself. I tried hard to
at least keep up the little Latin I had learned; and I
diligently practised both the spinet and violin; which,
with reading, transcribing music for business, and poetry
for pleasure; attempts at composition, and attention to my
brother’s affairs, filled up every minute of the longest day.
“I had, also, a great passion for angling; but whenever I
could get leisure to pursue that sport, I ran no risk of
losing my time, if the fish did not bite; for I had always
a book in my pocket, which enabled me to wait with patience
their pleasure.”
Another paragraph, which is singular and amusing, is transcribed, also,
from the Shrewsbury Annals:—
“CHARACTER OF LADY TANKERVILLE.[3]
“This lady was the daughter of Sir John Ashley, of the Abbey
Foregate, Shrewsbury. She manifested a passion for music very
early, in practising on the German flute, which was then
little known in the country, Sir William Fowler and this lady
being the only performers on that instrument that obtained,
or deserved the least notice. Miss Ashley practised the
harpsichord likewise, and took lessons of my brother: and she
used to make little Matteis, the language master, and first
violinist of the place, accompany her. She was an _espiegle_,
and doted on mischief; and no sooner found that Matteis was
very timid and helpless at the slightest distress or danger,
than she insisted, during summer, upon taking her lessons in
the middle of an old and lofty oak tree; placing there a seat
and a desk, adroitly well arranged for her accommodation;
while another seat and desk, upon a thick but tottering
branch, was put up for poor Matteis, who was so terrified,
that he could not stop a note in tune; yet so fearful, that
he could not bring himself to resist her orders.
“In 1738, she married Lord Ossulston, son of the Earl of
Tankerville: and I remember leading off a choral song, or
hymn, by her direction, to chaunt her out of St. Julian’s
Church. I was then quite a boy; and I heard no more of her
till I was grown up, and settled in London.”