Frances Burney ( 13 June 1752 â `` 6 January 1840 ) was an English novelist , diarist and playwright . She was also known as Fanny Burney . Frances Burney ( 13 June 1752 â `` 6 January 1840 ) , also known as Fanny Burney and , after her marriage , as Madame dâ Arblay , was an English novelist , diarist and playwright .