TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE Original stage directions were usually in italic and placed in parentheses ( ). A few inconsistencies--no closing parenthesis, use of [ instead of (, no italic--have been left unchanged. Stage directions were usually right-aligned with varying indentation on the left, sometimes beginning on the same line as the dialog, sometimes on a new line. This etext generally puts them on a new right-aligned line(s) with an indentation on the left of 12 spaces. They have been kept in-line with the dialog when it made sense to do so. As noted under the list of Dramatis Personæ ‘The Passages put between inverted Commas are omitted in the Representation’--meaning that this marked dialog was omitted by the actors in the Theatre-Royal production of the play. The start and end of these passages are marked with {{ and }} in this etext. The inverted commas are shown as opening and closing double quotes: “ and ”. Redundant inverted commas at the beginning of lines have been removed. The original text used the longform ſ, replaced here by the modern s. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Some minor corrections to the text are noted at the end of the book. THE FOLLIES OF A DAY; OR, THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO. A COMEDY, AS IT IS NOW PERFORMING AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN. FROM THE FRENCH OF M. DE BEAUMARCHAIS. BY THOMAS HOLCROFT. AUTHOR OF DUPLICITY, A COMEDY, THE NOBLE PEASANT, AN OPERA, &C. LONDON: Printed for G. G. J. and J. ROBINSON, PATER-NOSTER ROW. M DCC LXXXV. ADVERTISEMENT. Though to thank the Public is to thank nobody, since no particular Person takes this Sort of Compliments to himself, yet were I not to feel that Gratitude, which individually I know not where to pay, I were unworthy of past, of present, or of future Favours. An Author’s Thanks to the World at large may be seen under two very different Aspects: For, to thank the Public is to tell the Public he is successful; which, supposing it true, it would be strange if they did not already know; it appears therefore only to be taking an Opportunity of indulging his Vanity: And yet to thank them seems his Duty, since his Silence might not only be construed a want of Respect, but an arrogant Self-confidence that, when they applauded or approved his Work, they only did him justice. The Reader must determine which of these Faces he will please to view.