Beaumarchais

The moral character of Beaumarchais seems to have been far from unexceptionable. He was re markable for extraordinary indiscretion, restless ness, and ambition, an overweening conceit of his own talents, and an undisguised contempt for others. With these defects, it is not, wonderful that his conduct should have formed the subject of some absurd calumnies. La Herne mentions, that these were propagated to such an extent, that it was at one time reported, that he had made away, by. poison, with his two wives whom he had successively married for their report, on which Vol" taire is said to have remarked, " ce Beaumarchais n'estpoint• an empoisonnenr—Aest trap drek." Even the journby which he undertook to in order to ThIdicate the honour, and secure the happiness of a sister, and which seems to have been the most praise worthy action of his life, was made the subject of invidious misrepresentations, from which he has vin dicated himself in one of his Menroires against La Blache and Goezman.

Besides his

Memoires, Beaumarchais is the author• of various dramatic Rrodurtions, which made a great, noise, and gained him considerable reputation in Paris at the time they appeared. His Eugenie, of which the plot is founded on astory in the Dial eBoitear, and his Deux Antis, which hinges on the embarrassment and perplexity of a merchant on the verge of insolvency, are aerial' sentimental comedies, written in doe of Diderot's Pere de Famine. Eugenie, which was the most successful; of the two, is rather a ro mange carried on by dialogue, than a drama. It possesses little pathos or interest, and the only Lion felt in its perusal, is a certain degree of curio sity concerning- the event of the story. The inci dents in Les Deux Antis are flat and insipid, and as it is not sustained by the charms of versification, it flails almost entirely of theatrical effect. Beaumar chais obtained more success in his dramatic career, he quitted the,imitation of Diderot, and follow ing the natural gaiety Of his own genius, represented the lively and entertaining character of Figaro, ix tyro, successive pieces, Le Barbier de Seville and La Folk Journle, oil le Mariags de Figaro. The first of these comedies merely turns on the assistance which the Count Almaviva receives from Figaro, the Ranier de Seville, in his stratagem to carry of Regime by duping an old guardian, by wheat she was strictly watched, and who intended toimam? her himself. The Maria r 4 Figure PrineiPallY on the scheme devised by the Count Almaviva, of marrying a, beautiful attendant of his with designs which seem to have been s by scnie scenes the Casino of Plautus. Both pieces are NU of lively dialogue, dramatic movement, and in genious feign de theattn. The author, however,

had at first peat diTheuky in getting the Mariage de Figaro represented ; and the curiosity and ex pectation of the public were excited to the highest pitch, previous to its appearance. It continued to be acted twice a-week for two years, and produced immense profits both to the author and the come dians. To a reader of the present day, the chief interest of the Mariage de Figaro arises from the distress experienced by the countess, on finding her self forsaken by her husband, and the engaging, though not very moral, character of the page Che rubin ; but in France its popularity might be partly owing to the numerous sarcasms both on the political and judicial administration of the country. This was evidently one of the author's chief objects, as he boasts In his preface, qu'il a forme son plan deft:fon y faire entrer la critique dune fade d'abus qui desot la societe. Beaumarchais has Introduced Figaro a third time, in his last drama, La Mere Cou pabk ; and it is generally supposed that by this cha racter, in all the three dramas, he intended to repre sent himself. Figaro, it is true, is originally a bar ber, and afterwards a valet ; but he is also a poet, a musician, and great intriguer, while the freedom which he uses with his master gives full scope for the developement of the character. In La Mere Beagulalsr Cotspabk, he has also introduced, under. the name of Begearss, his old opponent the advocate Bergasse. ty.

Indeed, he admits in his preface, que Begearss n'est pas de son invention et qu it Ca vu agir.

Most of the plays of Beaumarchais are preceded by prefaces, in which be has vindicated them against objections, and pointed out their beauties; but., as he neither possessed much learning nor taste, his literary pleadings were not •so happy as his judicial ones. In deed, the great secret of Beaumarchais' success was the perceiving and availing himself of the tone and spirit of the times. The vogue in which the Pere de Famille then was, secured applause for his Comedies La antes. The unpopularity of a parliament, en trusted with the administration of justice, procured a favourable reception for his Memoires ; and the rising clamour against the government of the country, gave additional zest to the sarcasms of the Manage de Fi garo. Of consequence, Beaumarchais, during his life, was more celebrated than respectable, and the reputation he enjoyed in his own age was greater than that which he is likely to preserve with pos terity. (NO BEA UTY,—that property in objects by which they are recommended to the power or faculty of TA8T1t the reverse of Ugliness—the primary or most gene ;al object of love or admiration.