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Parisian
Salons
~Background
~Salons of
Enlightenment
~Madame de Stäel
~Salons
of the Restoration
~The Salons
of Victor Hugo
Influence
of Printed Materials
~Pre-Revolutionary
Timeline
~Post-Revolutionary Timeline
~Memoires
Defining
the Parisians
~Parisians
Viewed by Foreigners
~Parisians Viewed by
Themselves
~Paris Fashion
Bibliography
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Image 2.4 Playwright Pierre-Augustin
Caron de Beaumarchais
One of the most interesting and famous memoires
describes the legal battles of Beaumarchais, whose entire
life seemed to be a controversy. He was born to a middle-class
family but had ambition and talent. Probably his most helpful
attribute in climbing the social ladder was his ability
to make personal connections with influencial members of high
society. After befriending the wealthy Joseph Paris-Duverney,
Beaumarchais became his financial partner and even a creditor
in his estate after Duverney's death. But the settlement of accounts
was challenged by Duverney's heir, who claimed that Beaumarchais
had forged signatures. Beaumarchais was found innocent, but Duverney's
heir appealed the verdict, and the case was sent to a higher court.
Meanwhile, Beaumarchais had been untimely imprisoned because of
unrelated affairs. Beaumarchais was released from prison in order
to present the customary bribe to the magistrate. The aristocratic
Goezman couple cruely informed him of the guilty verdict while
keeping 15 louis of his bribe! In an outraged response, Beaumarchais
documented the heartless acts of Judge Goezman and his wife in
his memoires.
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