on quitting shrewsbury to return to his parents at chester, the ardour of young burney for improvement was such as to absorb his whole being; and his fear lest a moment of daylight should be profitless, led him to bespeak a labouring boy, who rose with the sun, to awaken him regularly with its dawn. yet, as he durst not pursue his education at the expense of the repose of his family, he hit upon the ingenious device of tying one end of a ball of pack-thread round his great toe, and then letting the ball drop, with the other end just within the boy’s reach, from an aperture in the old-fashioned casement of his bed-chamber window.

this was no contrivance to dally with his diligence; he could not choose but rise.

he was yet a mere youth, when, while thus unremittingly studious, he was introduced to dr. arne, on the passage of that celebrated musician through the city of chester, when returning from ireland: and this most popular of english vocal composers since the days of purcel, was so much pleased with the talents of this nearly self-instructed performer, as to make an offer to mr. burney

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senior, upon such conditions as are usual to such sort of patronage, to complete the musical education of this lively and aspiring young man; and to bring him forth to the world as his favourite and most promising pupil.

to this proposal mr. burney senior was induced to consent; and, in the year 1714, at the age of seventeen, the eager young candidate for fame rapturously set off, in company with dr. arne, for the metropolis.