[Illustration:  P.J.  DE BERANGER]

Beranger became a skillful financier, and was very useful to his father in his business.  When the banker failed the young man was thrown into great distress.  He now had ample opportunity to become familiar with the garret, of which he has sung so well.  In 1804 he applied for help to Lucien Bonaparte, and received from Napoleon’s brother his own fee as member of the Institute.  He obtained shortly afterwards a position in a bureau of the University.  Having a weak constitution and defective sight, he avoided the conscription.  He was however all his life a true patriot, with republican instincts; and he says that he never liked Voltaire, because that celebrated writer unjustly preferred foreigners and vilified Joan of Arc, “the true patriotic divinity, who from my childhood was the object of my worship.”  He had approved of the eighteenth of Brumaire:  for “my soul,” says he, “has always vibrated with that of the people as when I was nineteen years old;” and the great majority of the French people in 1799 wished to see Bonaparte assume power and govern with a firm hand.  In 1813 Beranger wrote ’The King of Yvetot,’ a pleasing and amusing satire on Napoleon’s reign.  What a contrast between the despotic emperor and ruthless warrior, and the simple king whose crown is a nightcap and whose chief delight is his bottle of wine!  The song circulated widely in manuscript form, and the author soon became popular.  He made the acquaintance of Desaugiers and became a member of the Caveau.  Concerning this joyous literary society M. Anatole France says, in his ‘Vie Litteraire,’ that the first Caveau was founded in 1729 by Gallet, Piron, Crebillon fils, Colle, and Panard.  They used to meet at Laudelle the tavern-keeper’s.  The second Caveau was inaugurated in 1759 by Marmontel, Suard, Lanoue, and Brissy, and lasted until the Revolution.  In 1806 Armand Gouffe and Capelle established the modern Caveau, of which Desaugiers was president.  The members met at Balaine’s restaurant.  In 1834 the society was reorganized at Champlanc’s restaurant.  The members wrote and published songs and sang them after dinner.  “The Caveau,” says M. France, “is the French Academy of song,” and as such has some dignity.  The same is true of the Lice, while the Chat Noir is most fin de siecle.

To understand Beranger’s songs and to excuse them somewhat, we must remember that the French always delighted in witty songs and tales, and pardoned the immorality of the works on account of the wit and humor.  This is what is called l’esprit gaulois, and is seen principally in old French poetry, in the fabliaux, the farces, and ’Le Roman de Renart.’  Moliere had much of this, as also had La Fontaine and Voltaire, and Beranger’s wildest songs appear mild and innocent when compared with those of the Chat Noir.  In his joyous songs he continues the traditions of the farces and fabliaux of the Middle Ages, and in his political songs he uses wit and satire just as in the sottises of the time of Louis XII.