Retired
At the end of 1784 Burney fell seriously ill and departed for England. This was the end of his active naval career. Repeated petitions for a new command were rebuffed, in part because of his openly republican political views. However, he became a prolific naval author, who enjoyed the friendship of Charles Lamb, Henry Crabb Robinson and other literary figures.
Burney married Sarah Payne (1759–1832) on 6 September 1785, by whom he had three children, Catherine (1786–1793), Martin Charles (1788–1852), later a solicitor, and Sarah (1796-post 1868). However, he was separated from his wife and living with his half-sister from 1798 to 1803. He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1809. A great whist player, he left a pamphlet on the subject. When he died, Lamb wrote to William Wordsworth: ‘There's Captain Burney gone!—What fun has whist now?’"
Only in July 1821, aged 71, was Burney promoted to rear-admiral on the retired list after a personal intervention by the duke of Clarence (later William IV), admiral of the fleet. He died on 17 November 1821 and was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster.
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