He was a Member of the Institute, Commander of the Legion of Honor,
and Cherubini's successor as Director of the Conservatory. He enjoyed
perfect health up to the day of his death in 1871. Assiduous in his
duties at the Conservatory, and active in his social relations, which
took him into the most brilliant circles of an extended period, covering
the reigns of Napoleon I., Charles X., Louis Philippe, and Napoleon
III., he yet always found time to devote several hours a day to
composition. Auber was a small, delicate man, yet distinguished in
appearance, and noted for wit. His _bons mots_ were celebrated. While
directing a musical _soirée_ when over eighty, a gentleman having taken
a white hair from his shoulder, he said laughingly, "This hair must
belong to some old fellow who passed near me."

A good anecdote is told _à propos_ of an interview of Auber with Charles
X. in 1830. "Masaniello," a bold and revolutionary work, had just been
produced, and stirred up a powerful popular ferment. "Ah, M. Auber,"
said the King, "you have no idea of the good your work has done me."
"How, sire?" "All revolutions resemble each other. To sing one is
to provoke one. What can I do to please you?" "Ah, sire! I am not
ambitious." "I am disposed to name you director of the court concerts.
Be sure that I shall remember you. But," added he, taking the artist's
arm with a cordial and confidential air, "from this day forth you
understand me well, M. Auber, I expect you to bring out the 'Muette' but
_very seldom_." It is well known that the Brussels riots of 1830, which
resulted in driving the Dutch out of the country, occurred immediately
after a performance of this opera, which thus acted the part of
"Lillibulero" in English political annals. It is a striking coincidence
that the death of the author of this revolutionary inspiration, May 13,
1871, was partly caused by the terrors of the Paris Commune.