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Transcribers Note: The original publication has been replicated
faithfully except as shown in the Transcribers Amendments at the end of
the text. Words in italics are indicated like _this_. But the publisher
also wanted to emphasize items in sentences already italicized, so he
printed them in the regular font which is indicated like this: _The
pirates then went to +Hispaniola+._ Superscripts are indicated like this:
M^r Caron de Beaumarchais. Footnotes are located near the end of the
Historical Introduction chapter.

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                             [Illustration]

      [Illustration: Portrait of Beaumarchais, by Nattier, 1765]




                              BEAUMARCHAIS

                            _And the War of
                         American Independence_

                                   BY

                           ELIZABETH S. KITE

        _Diplôme dinstruction Primaire-Supérieure, Paris, 1905
        Member of the Staff of the Vineland Research Laboratory_

                           WITH A FOREWORD BY
                             JAMES M. BECK
                _Author of The Evidence in the Case_

                              TWO VOLUMES
                              VOLUME ONE

                              ILLUSTRATED

                             [Illustration]

                                 BOSTON
                           RICHARD G. BADGER
                            THE GORHAM PRESS


                  COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY RICHARD G. BADGER

                          All Rights Reserved

                  Made in the United States of America

                   The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.


                            TO THE MEMORY OF

                               MY BROTHER


_We have been surprised that no descendant of Beaumarchais was invited to
represent France at the unveiling of that Statue of Liberty, upon the
pedestal of which his name would not be out of place by the side of that
of Lafayette. Since 1870 Mr. Bigelow has invited his compatriots to ask
themselves seriously if they have done their whole duty towards the memory
of Beaumarchais._

                                                             E. Lintilhac.
                                        _Beaumarchais et ses oeuvres_,
                                                              Paris, 1887.




                                FOREWORD


If good wine needs no bush and a good play needs no epilogue,--and we
have high authority for both these maxims,--then it should also be true
that a good book needs no prologue, especially where, as in the case of
_Beaumarchais and the War of American Independence_, the author has
prefaced a valuable contribution to history by a scholarly and effective
introduction.

Notwithstanding this, it gives me pleasure to introduce Miss Elizabeth S.
Kites work to the American public by a tribute to its value as a timely
contribution alike to the truth of history and the spirit of patriotism.
In these times that try mens souls, the latter consideration may be the
more important.

The historic tie, which binds together the two great Republics (France and
the United States) in, please God, an indissoluble alliance, cannot be too
constantly emphasized at this time.

It is difficult for America to play the full part, which it should play in
the present world tragedy of supreme interest, unless its people have a
conscious sense of their vital interest in the great issues of the titanic
struggle. Unfortunately our century-old policy of isolation has until
recent months given them a somewhat provincial view of world politics. The
balance of power and similar questions, which were primarily of European
origin and interest, but which vitally affect the whole world in these
days, when Civilization is unified by the centripetal ties of steam and
electricity, were until recent months only of academic interest to the
average American, who like Gallio, cared for none of these things. The
result was that at the beginning of the world war, the average American
felt that we were not as a nation concerned with the causes of the
quarrel, and to this narrow and apathetic attitude is to be justly
attributed Americas temporary infidelity to its noblest ideals and vital
interests for a period of nearly three years. Fortunately, this policy of
narrowing isolation is at an end. President Wilsons epoch-making message
of January 9, 1918, dealt with world-wide problems from a cosmopolitan
attitude that would have been impossible less than twelve months ago. The
transformation of America from a politically hermit nation to _a_, if not
_the_, leading world power has been amazing in its swiftness.

Even at the beginning of the world crisis, one circumstance gave America a
partial, although an inadequate, appreciation that America had a direct
relation to the issues of the world war. It was the instinctive feeling
that the American people owed something to its ancient ally, France. It
was not that the average American believed that Frances interests were
our interests, but a subconscious feeling of gratitude stirred Americas
emotions