an　had　amused　Paris　by　the　ridicule　they　threw　upon　a　Parliament　which　was　disliked；　and　his　admission　to　an　intimacy　with　M。　de　Maurepas　procured　him　a　degree　of　influence　over　important　affairs。　　He　then　became　ambitious　of　influencing　public　opinion　by　a　kind　of　drama；　in　which　established　manners　and　customs　should　be　held　up　to　popular　derision　and　the　ridicule　of　the　new　philosophers。　　After　several　years　of　prosperity　the　minds　of　the　French　had　become　more　generally　critical；　and　when　Beaumarchais　had　finished　his　monstrous　but　diverting　〃Mariage　de　Figaro；〃　all　people　of　any　consequence　were　eager　for　the　gratification　of　hearing　it　read；　the　censors　having　decided　that　it　should　not　be　performed。　　These　readings　of　〃Figaro〃　grew　so　numerous　that　people　were　daily　heard　to　say；　〃I　have　been　（or　I　am　going　to　be）　at　the　reading　of　Beaumarchais's　play。〃　　The　desire　to　see　it　performed　became　universal；　an　expression　that　he　had　the　art　to　use　compelled；　as　it　were；　the　approbation　of　the　nobility；　or　of　persons　in　power；　who　aimed　at　ranking　among　the　magnanimous；　he　made　his　〃Figaro〃　say　that　〃none　but　little　minds　dreaded　little　books。〃　　The　Baron　de　Breteuil；　and　all　the　men　of　Madame　de　Polignac's　circle；　entered　the　lists　as　the　warmest　protectors　of　the　comedy。　　Solicitations　to　the　King　became　so　pressing　that　his　Majesty　determined　to　judge　for　himself　of　a　work　which　so　much　engrossed　public　attention；　and　desired　me　to　ask　M。　Le　Noir；　lieutenant　of　police；　for　the　manuscript　of　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro。〃　　One　morning　I　received　a　note　from　the　Queen　ordering　me　to　be　with　her　at　three　o'clock；　and　not　to　come　without　having　dined；　for　she　should　detain　me　some　time。　　When　I　got　to　the　Queen's　inner　closet　I　found　her　alone　with　the　King；　a　chair　and　a　small　table　were　ready　placed　opposite　to　them；　and　upon　the　table　lay　an　enormous　manuscript　in　several　books。　　The　King　said　to　me；　〃There　is　Beaumarchais's　comedy；　you　must　read　it　to　us。　　You　will　find　several　parts　troublesome　on　account　of　the　erasures　and　references。　　I　have　already　run　it　over；　but　I　wish　the　Queen　to　be　acquainted　with　the　work。　　You　will　not　mention　this　reading　to　any　one。〃
  I　began。　　The　King　frequently　interrupted　me　by　praise　or　censure；　which　was　always　just。　　He　frequently　exclaimed；　〃That's　in　bad　taste；　this　man　continually　brings　the　Italian　concetti　on　the　stage。〃　　At　that　soliloquy　of　Figaro　in　which　he　attacks　various　points　of　government；　and　especially　at　the　tirade　against　State　prisons；　the　King　rose　up　and　said；　indignantly：
  〃That's　detestable；　that　shall　never　be　played；　the　Bastille　must　be　destroyed　before　the　license　to　act　this　play　can　be　any　other　than　an　act　of　the　most　dangerous　inconsistency。　　This　man　scoffs　at　everything　that　should　be　respected　in　a　government。〃
  〃It　will　not　be　played；　then？〃　　said　the　Queen。
  〃No；　certainly；〃　replied　Louis　XVI。；　〃you　may　rely　upon　that。〃
  Still　it　was　constantly　reported　that　〃Figaro〃　was　about　to　be　performed；　there　were　even　wagers　laid　upon　the　subject；　I　never　should　have　laid　any　myself；　fancying　that　I　was　better　informed　as　to　the　probability　than　anybody　else；　if　I　had；　however；　I　should　have　been　completely　deceived。　　The　protectors　of　Beaumarchais；　feeling　certain　that　they　would　succeed　in　their　scheme　of　making　his　work　public　in　spite　of　the　King's　prohibition；　distributed　the　parts　in　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro〃　among　the　actors　of　the　Theatre　Francais。　　Beaumarchais　had　made　them　enter　into　the　spirit　of　his　characters；　and　they　determined　to　enjoy　at　least　one　performance　of　this　so…called　chef　d'oeuvre。　　The　first　gentlemen　of　the　chamber　agreed　that　M。　de　la　Ferte　should　lend　the　theatre　of　the　Hotel　des　Menus　Plaisirs；　at　Paris；　which　was　used　for　rehearsals　of　the　opera；　tickets　were　distributed　to　a　vast　number　of　leaders　of　society；　and　the　day　for　the　performance　was　fixed。　　The　King　heard　of　all　this　only　on　the　very　morning；　and　signed　a　'lettre　de　cachet；'＇A　'lettre　de　cachet'　was　any　written　order　proceeding　from　the　King。　　The　term　was　not　confined　merely　to　orders　for　arrest。＇　which　prohibited　the　performance。　　When　the　messenger　who　brought　the　order　arrived；　he　found　a　part　of　the　theatre　already　filled　with　spectators；　and　the　streets　leading　to　the　Hotel　des　Menus　Plaisirs　filled　with　carriages；　the　piece　was　not　performed。　　This　prohibition　of　the　King's　was　looked　upon　as　an　attack　on　public　liberty。
  The　disappointment　produced　such　discontent　that　the　words　oppression　and　tyranny　were　uttered　with　no　less　passion　and　bitterness　at　that　time　than　during　the　days　which　immediately　preceded　the　downfall　of　the　throne。　　Beaumarchais　was　so　far　put　off　his　guard　by　rage　as　to　exclaim；　〃Well；　gentlemen；　he　won't　suffer　it　to　be　played　here；　but　I　swear　it　shall　be　played；perhaps　in　the　very　choir　of　Notre…Dame！〃　　There　was　something　prophetic　in　these　words。　　It　was　generally　insinuated　shortly　afterwards　that　Beaumarchais　had　determined　to　suppress　all　those　parts　of　his　work　which　could　be　obnoxious　to　the　Government；　and　on　pretence　of　judging　of　the　sacrifices　made　by　the　author；　M。　de　Vaudreuil　obtained　permission　to　have　this　far…famed　〃Mariage　de　Figaro〃　performed　at　his　country　house。　　M。　Campan　was　asked　there；　he　had　frequently　heard　the　work　read；　and　did　not　now　find　the　alterations　that　had　been　announced；　this　he　observed　to　several　persons　belonging　to　the　Court；　who　maintained　that　the　author　had　made　all　the　sacrifices　required。　　M。　Campan　was　so　astonished　at　these　persistent　assertions　of　an　obvious　falsehood　that　he　replied　by　a　quotation　from　Beaumarchais　himself；　and　assuming　the　tone　of　Basilio　in　the　〃Barbier　de　Seville；〃　he　said；　〃Faith；　gentlemen；　I　don't　know　who　is　deceived　here；　everybody　is　in　the　secret。〃　　They　then　came　to　the　point；　and　begged　him　to　tell　the　Queen　positively　that　all　which　had　been　pronounced　reprehensible　in　M。　de　Beaumarchais's　play　had　been　cut　out。　　My　father…in…law　contented　himself　with　replying　that　his　situation　at　Court　would　not　allow　of　his　giving　an　opinion　unless　the　Queen　should　first　speak　of　the　piece　to　him。　The　Queen　said　nothing　to　him　about　the　matter。　　Shortly；　afterwards　permission　to　perform　this　play　was　at　length　obtained。　　The　Queen　thought　the　people　of　Paris　would　be　finely　tricked　when　they　saw　merely　an　ill…conceived　piece；　devoid　of　interest；　as　it　must　appear　when　deprived　of　its　Satire。
  ＇The　King；〃　says　Grimm；　〃made　sure　that　the　public　would　judge　　　　　　unfavourably　of　the　work。　　He　said　to　the　Marquis　de　Montesquiou；　　　　　　who　was　going　to　see　the　first　representation；　〃Well；　what　do　you　　　　　　augur　of　its　success？''Sire；　I　hope　the　piece　will　fail。''And　so　　　　　　do　I；'　replied　the　King。
  〃There　is　something　still　more　ridiculous　than　my　piece；〃　said　　　　　　Beaumarchais　himself；　〃that　is；　its　success。〃　　Mademoiselle　Arnould　　　　　　foresaw　it　the　first　day；　and　exclaimed；　〃It　is　a　production　that　　　　　　will　fail　fifty　nights　successively。〃　　There　was　as　crowded　an　　　　　　audience　on　the　seventy…second　night　as　on　the　first。　　The　following　　　　　　is　extracted　from　Grimm's　'Correspondence。〃
  〃Answer　of　M。　de　Beaumarchais　to　…；who　requested　the　use　of　his　　　　　　private　box　for　some　ladies　desirous　of　seeing　'Figaro'　without　　　　　　being　themselves　seen。
  〃I　have　no　respect　for　women　who　indulge　themselves　in　seeing　any　　　　　　play　which　they　think　indecorous；　provided　they　can　do　so　in　secret。　　　　　　I　lend　myself　to　no　such　acts。　　I　have　given　my　piece　to　the　public；　　　　　　to　amuse；　and　not　to　instruct；　not　to　give　any　compounding　prudes　　　　　　the　pleasure　of　going　to　admire　it　in　a　private　box；　and　balancing　　　　　　their　account　with　conscience　by　censuring　it　in　company。　　To　　　　　　indulge　in　the　pleasure　of　vice　and　assume　the　credit　of　virtue　is　　　　　　the　hypocrisy　of　the　age。　　My　piece　is　not　of　a　doubtful　nature；　it　　　　　　must　be　patronised　in　good　earnest；　or　avoided　altogether；　　　　　　therefore；　with　all　respect　to　you；　I　shall　keep　my　box。〃　　This　　　　　　letter　was　circulated　all　over　Paris　for　a　week。＇
  Under　the　persuasion　that　there　was　not　a　passage　left　capable　of　malicious　or　dangerous　application；　Monsieur　attended　the　first　performance　in　a　public　box。　　The　mad　enthusiasm　of　the　public　in　favour　of　the　piece　and　Monsieur's　just　displeasure　are　well　known。　　The　author　was　sent　to　prison　soon　afterwards；　though　his　work　was　extolled　to　the　skies；　and　though　the　Court　durst　not　suspend　its　performance。
  The　Queen　testified　her　displeasure　against　all　who　had　assisted　the　author　of　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro〃　to　deceive　the　King　into　giving　his　consent　that　it　should　be　represented。　　Her　reproaches　were　more　particularly　directed　against　M。　de　Vaudreuil　for　having　had　it　performed　at　his　house。　　The　violent　and　domineering　disposition　of　her　favourite's　friend　at　last　became　disagreeable　to　her。
  One　evening；　on　the　Queen's　return　from　the　Duchess's；　she　desired　her　'valet　de　chambre'　to　bring　her　billiard　cue　into　her　closet；　and　ordered　me　to　open　the　box　that　contained　it。　　I　took　out　the　cue；　broken　in　two。　It　was　of　ivory；　and　formed　of　one　single　elephant's　tooth；　the　butt　was　of　gold　and　very　tastefully　wrought。　　〃There；〃　said　she；　〃that　is　the　wa