Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-27
:" HE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
A Comedy that shook a Crown.
[From the Sc. Lnnis Rennhlicanl

From the st. Louis Republican,
Az careless laugh amid the snowy passes of
the higher Alps has been known to set in mo-
ton the avalanche which carries devastation
and death into the valleys below, so il some
tines happens that political CONFUSION of
colossal magnitude and vast consequences is
precipitatsd by " trifies light as air."
The French revolution OF 1859, though pre-
seded and prepared by the grinding tyranny of
age, was unquestionably fastened by two
seemingly Insignificant things,-a little comedy
and q great swiDdle. The comedy was the
"Marnage of Figaro" the swindle was the
Diamond Necklace. We propose to-day to tell
Pierre Augustin Caron was born in the Quar-
tier ST. Denis Of Paris, January "a, I7I2. He
was the son OF a matchmaker, and, after re-
serving an Indifferent education at the College
Of Abort, was set to work to learn the paternal
profession. But work-at least of the physical
kind-was not to his liking. While at school he
had imbibed a strong love of music and a
decided fondness for company, neither OF which
fitted him tor the duh routine of the shop. Nat
lIally enough, the father and son had divers
agree, they dissolved partnership, and the son
was rather unceremoniousiyd driven out OF doors
by the old man. This climax seems to have
brought the former to his senses, for he soon
grew weary of wandering about with no money
in his pocket and no certainty of board and
lodgings, and entered into negotiations for a
return. The parent did not intend to be vexed
BY An idle apprentice a second time, and so laid
DOWN certain conditions which Pierre was
obliged to sign before bis repentance was ac-
s,pt.d- One of these we quote
You will give up your unlucky music alto
eether, and (above slD the society of young
people. i will tolerate neither. Both have
been your ruin However, out of Consideration
for your weakness, j allow you the violin and
the flute, bu; on the express condition that you
play on neither till after supper on working
days. and never in the daytime; and that You do
not disturb the repose OF our neighbors or or my
evp."
SO Young Caron went back to the bench. and
spPifeh himself so thoroughly that in 1853 he in
vented new escapement for watches. Speak
ing of this and other Improvements, in a me-
mortal dated June 10. 1855, he saws:
"By these means / make watches as fat as
they are called for, fiatter than they have hith-
eIto been made, without in any respect dimin-
ishiDg their goodness. The first of these simpli-
Ned watches rs in the hands OF the King His
Majesty has had il for year, and Is quite Sat
i isnsd with u. have also had the honor, within
these few days, Of presenting a watch to Mad
dame de Pompadour OF this new construction
the smallest ever made; it is only four lines and
a half IN diameter, and two-thirds OF a lima in
thickness between the plates"
his document ie signed Cdron Els. Horlo0sr
ds Rot His position of maker and repsirer of
time pieces to the roy al family of course brought
him sbundsnt custom, ard his business incress-
ed rapidly and promised him ample fortune in
pios! eehve. Butour theological hero was bold
handsome, and ambitious. and anxious TO obtain
footing a. court, feeling sure he could turn Ali
these qualities 10 his own advantage. 1t was hIs
good locks which placed him on the first round
Of the slippery ladder. He repaired watch for
the young wife of the old eoniroIear cerc d'ofFr,
de Ia manson d. Roi. The lady was struck with
his arp arance-beipg decided Improvement
uigue followed, and the Kind hearted husband
after sanctioning the Illicit connection for
several months, sold out his Office to the lover of
his spouse in consideration of liberal annuity
Behold, then, Caron fis-Nov. ., I755-installed
By royal brevet deputy clerk OF the roya kitchen
he now dropped his original name, assumed
into An accomplished and impudeut courtier
The harp came into fashion soon after the
kitchen clerk was inaugurated, and he not only
learned M hat f.ekv
skI, but introduced some changes in the ar
range mt mt Of the pedals which increased its
power. This attracted the attention Of the
established a professor Of music to these Prin,
eesses, nd frequently performed in the pres
snee OF he King and Queen. He was now on
the high Dad TO success. and travelled that road
with the onchalant grace and inefable assur-
ance which belong to adventurers of his class
But We have neither the space nor the incli-
nation 10 &C. omp any him in his various pere-
erinaflons, though nobody who wishes to under
s;and the tastes and habits Of that era in French
ps.ory can s,isrd 70 omit the careful reading OF
anecdotes told of him by contemporary writer's
S9theient for our present purpose TO say that ia
his intrigues, he dabbled in literature. and afreI
several inferior efforts produced, in I775, the
famous Barber de Seville, "a tolerably gooi
run In Paris, ard the author, encouraged bv fhs
happy hit, resolved to follow il up by a second
attempt, and the second attempt resulted in
II Sas written probably in I175-f6. AMI Ran.
marchais says:
- 1t remained five years in nv portfolio. The
players knew | had IL, and they tore it from me
At last. Whether they have done well or in for
themselves, time viii show.
Owing TO the extraordinary eulogy that they
made Of II, al classes OF society wished to be-
come acquainted with it, and hence was
oohged 10 engage in quarrels of all Sorts or
yield TO universal requests. Thenceforth, also,
The powerful enemies Of the author did not fail
Il Al hat hAa flAI 80
religion, government, morals, all ranks of soci,
ETY.. AccordiDg.to them had only shaken the
State IN the Der OF Seville In this new
essay, more Infamous and more seditious / had
turned 10 topsy-
The censorship OF the drama was more severe
:, w INA. tiine IN France than It ever has been
tanned many sharp though secret hits at mon
archy and sristocracy, Il was fair to presume
objection The anthoIties ,hegsfore - S1 o,drs
Of the King, refused permission tor IL ne,
formanee-which, Of course, only stimulated
as well as his own vanity, Beaumarchais aaye
readings to select circles. Zach OF these
~nsh T s,n,sf short 70
eoquette, who, after being long importuned,
rs forced to yield to her persistent lovers at
,ast; ne was a finished elocuuonist, and,
hoiding In his delicately- gloyed hand the man
aseript tied with dainty rose-colored ribbon.
ne delivered the sparkling comedy with won,
Sssnee. ,o, Ts, ana emses HIS d.s.ng room aa,
Princesses Of the blood loyal, Dukes, Duca-
esess, Counts, Countesses, Card nails, Arch
bishops, Behope, In short, q full assortment of
tne lords, spiritual and temporal, and the
choicest cream OF the choicest French society
lie m Iriaee Of Figaro became the rage;
notning else was heard Of or talked OF In the
gay world Of Paris and Versailles and. ouite
naturally, the demands for its Representative
upon the stage increased In proportion 10 m
popularity Of the comedy. Atiast Ionis WI
uho had hitherto depended upon the juds nent
OF his critics, resolved 70 decide for him seiS
Madame Campan, In her delightful mem oirs of
Marie Antoinette, says
.One merning received q note from the
queen, ord ring me to be with her at 3 O'clock
And not 10 come without having dined, for that
she should DE ain me some time. When / got
20 the kQueen's inrer closet, found her alone
WIN me King; chair and q small table were
Iesav, placed opposite to them, and upon the
SAose lay an enormous manuscript In several
peohs. The King said 1T Is BeaumarchiS com
edy, you must read IL to us. This will be DIM
Gun IN parts, On accounts Of the erasures and