_“Toujours, toujours, il est toujours le même, Jamais Robin, Ne connut le chagrin, Le temps sombre on serein, Les jours gras, le carême; Le matin ou le soir; Dites blanc, dites noir, “Toujours, toujours, il est toujours le même.”_ In previous chapters, we have spoken already of the intimacy of Beaumarchais with Lenormant D’Etioles. The latter’s fête happening a few days after Beaumarchais’s return from Vienna, he suddenly appeared unannounced in the midst of the gay festival, to the unbounded joy of his old friends. As the entertainment progressed, Beaumarchais absented himself for half an hour, returning with a song in dialect, which he had just composed in honor of his host. A young man present sang it before the company. Its success was complete, and along with the one previously mentioned, it soon spread all over Paris. This song contained a verse which recalled in a very pleasing way, the personal affair which was of such great importance to the author, and which had served to make him popular. He was thus kept fresh in the public mind and its sympathetic interest was conserved. _“Mes chers amis, pourriez-vous m’enseigner J’im bon seigneur don cha’un parle? Je ne sais pas comment vous l’designer C’pendent, on dit qu’il a nom Charle ..._ ... _L’hiver passé j’eut un mandit procès Qui m’donna bien d’la tablature. J’m’en vais vous l’dire: ils m’avons mis exprès Sous c’te nouvelle magistrature; Charlot venait, jarni, Me consolait, si fit; Ami, ta cause est bonne et ronde ..._ ... _Est ce qu’on blâme ainsi le pauvre monde?”_ CHAPTER XIII _Le Barbier De Séville--_ _“J’ai donc eu la faiblesse autrefois, Monsieur, de faire des drames qui n’etaient pas du bon genre; et je m’en repens beaucoup._ _“Pressé depuis, par les événements, j’ai hasardé de malheureux mémoires que mes ennemis n’ont pas trouvés de bon style; j’en ai le remords cruel._ _“Aujourd’hui je fais glisser sous vos yeux, une comédie fort gaie, que certains maîtres de goût n’estiment pas du bon ton; et je ne m’en console point._ ... _“Je ne voudrais pas jurer qu’il en fut seulement question dans cinq ou six siècles; tant notre nation est inconstante et légère.”_ _Préface du Barbier de Séville._ The Character of Figaro--The First Performance of _Le Barbier de Séville_--Its Success after Failure--Beaumarchais’s Innovation at the Closing of the Theatre--His First Request for an Exact Account from the Actors--_Barbier de Séville_ at the Petit-Trianon. Aside from Beaumarchais’s participation in the affairs of the War of American Independence, the chief title to glory which his admirers can claim for him is his creation of the character of Figaro.