The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16


with the possible exception OF Lafayette,
to enlist France in the cause of American
independence was Caron de Beaumar-
chais, the author Of the Barber Of Scribe
and the Marriage Of Figaro; and yet Mr..
James NJ. Beck in his fsrgword to Miss
Elizabeth S. Kites timely biography Of
the great courier, playwright and speeu-
lator ventures the assertion that lot one
in hundred Americans ever heard OF
Beaumarchais as one of the earliest and
most effective friends Of the Colonies In
the Revolutionary War against the tyr
amy of George Ill: In 1870, the late
John Bigelow, our former Minister to
France, did something TO recall the men,
ory of Beaumarchais 10 Americans by
paper which he read before the New
York Historical Society, but the mate
rails for "a full account of his relations
TO this country were not accessible until
1886, when the French Government ar
chives caneerning our War of Independ-
enee were first made public. In John
Fiske's 1merieen ReUolutton (Houghton
Miffin CO.., published in 1891, the only
mention of Beaumarchais is the statement
that he furnished the military stores for
the ship which brought Lafayette and De
Kalb to America.
This statement, however, points to-
ward the great service which Beaunar-
chais rendered TO the American Colonies
He secretly purchased and sent over to
America the munitions and military sup
plies essential 10 the success of the Revo
lutionary cause; in order TO do this he
had 10 obtain the taeit sanction of the
King of France. and his ministers, and
it was also necessary to borrow or other
wise raise between for and five millions
of francs The debt which he thus in
CURED for our benefit was not repaid
until 1895, when the United States Gov
crnment adjusted claim made by his
heirs. The misfortune of Beaumarchals
during his lifetime was that he was de-
MED all manifestations Of gratitude "he
cause he expected tobacco and indigo IN
return for the several million dollars
worth of ammunition and other supplies
which he had furnished the American
cause, although it was his own boundless
energy and enterprise that had overcome
all obstacles in sending those supplies
upon which success depended" In the
present biography Miss Kite attributes
the misunderstanding of which Beau
marchais was the victim to the peculiar
ties Of his own character. "The very brill
iSney and versatility of his genius" she
tells MS; was snare 10 him, while the
expansiveness Of his nature gave such an
air of adventure to his most sober acts
that they often were regarded with sus-
pieion by those whom he most desired TO
serve" Mr.. Beck in his foreword hkens
him as a itterateur to Sheridan, as a pub
6eist to Junius, as fnancier to Harrl-
man, as n diplomat 10 Talleyrand, as
secret emissary Of the French Govern
lneDI 10 fNHtGfONh 1IotthCoy tAAiN SAA SA@N
whole TO Benvenuto Ceilini, although he
comedies that. unlike Cellini, Beaumar-
chais possessed certain nobility of char
aeter which endeafs him TO those who
study his career No one can deny that
such q combination must have made an
extraordinary man. Nor is this all; for
in another place Mr.. Beck says he al
WAYS thinks of Beaumarehais as DAT
faguan, the Gascon here of The Three
Mnsketeersi
It's fact whirh seems to have escaped
NOTICE that the life OF Beaumarchais was
closely contemporancous with that OF
Washington. He was born IN the same
year, 1872, and died in the same year,
1899. The name by which he is known
in history WIS not his birthright. lie