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PREFACE Excuse himself for not undertaking to write a, life of Balzac, Monsieur RrunetiPre, in his study of the novelist published shortly before his death, refused somewhat disdainfully to admit that acquaintance with a celebrated mans biography has necessarily any value. That do we know of the life of Shakespeare he says, and of the circumstances in which omletbr Ofltello was produced If these circumstances were better known to us, is it to be believed and will it be seriously asserted that our admiration for one or the other play would be augmented In penning this quirk, the eminent critic wouId seem to have vilfully overlooked the fact that a writers Iife may hare much or may have little to do with his works. In the case of Shakespeare it was comparativeIy little-and yet we should be glad to learn more of this little. In the case of Balzac it was much. His novels are literaIly his life and his Life is quite as full as his books of all that makes the good novel at, once profitable and agreeable to read. It is not too much to afirm that any one who is acquainted with what is known to-day of the strangely chequered career of the author of the Comidie Humaine is in a better position to understand and appreciate the different parts which constitute it. loreo.rer, the steady rise of Balzacs reputation, during the last fifty years, has been in some degree owing to the various patient investigators who have gathered information about him whom Taine pronounced to be, with Shakespeare and Saint-Simon, the greatest storehouse of documents we possess concerning human nature. The following chapters are an attempt to put this information into sequence and shape, and to insert such notice of the novels as their relative importance requires. The author wishes here to thank certain French publishers who hare facilitated his task by placing books for reference at his disposal, Messrs. Calmnnn-Levy, Armand Colin, and Hetzel, in particular, and also the Curator of the JWTL Buhuc, Monsieur de Royaumont who has rendered him service on several occasions. CONTENTS CKAP. FAGm I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . 1 V. LETTERS TO THE STIANOER, 1831, l832 . . 85 L P E . . Q . 179 VI. 1833, 1834 . 112 VII. 9, I, I I 1835, l836 VIII. Ix. X. XI. XII. I2 I7 1I 17 7 1, I I I P 11 11 I I I 1837, lS3S 2 . . 1 156 1839, 1840 2 - 1841, 1842 . 202 -3. 1843, 1844 . . 229 1845, 1646 2 . . 251 XIII. LAST YEARS MARRIAGE AKD DEATH . . . . XIV. THE COMEDIE HXAINE . . . . . egg XV. VALUE OF THE WORK . . . . . . . 319 XVI. IWFLUEKCE . . . . . - ., . 341 XvII. CoacsloN THE 1. AND HIS PORTRAITS ., . 360 INDEX . . . . . . . .S75 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATE I. PORTRAT OF BALZXC, XNOIVK -4s THE DAOUEBRZOT-PE Fmtispiece 2. THE CAFE FRASCATI. From 0 Painling Debu- COB . . . . . . . . To, face 10 6. BALZACS PRINTIKQ PIEIIISES MARAS IN THE RUE DES . . - . . . 11 11 56 7. H.yn OF BALZAC. Fmm a Ilmfer-Crrst . ., ,, 68 8. THE PLACE DE LA CONCORDE Iti 1829. From 0 Painting by Cunanella . . . .,, , 80 9. BALZAC AT THE AGE OF TIIIRTY. FOIIZ Q Sqia Draning b3 Lowis BortEange . . .,, ,, 911 10. HOUSE WHERE BAIZAC LIVED. I Rse Cns6hi ., ,, I04 15. THE VILLA OF LES Jdnnls WITERE BALZAC LIVED FRO 1837-1840 . . . .,, , 164 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi 17. BALZAC. From a Caricature of the yew 1888 . 18. HOUSE N PAY WHERE fi.42 LIVED FRO 1840-1847 . . . . . 19. BALZAC. Fmn a Lithograph by Jdm . . 20, BALZAC. Fmm U Painting by Gbrard-Septin . 21. Ttr CHAMPS ELXSES IN 1843. From a Pailatil h Cadollc. . . . . a . 82, CELEBTJES AT A TEA-PARTY. FiVm Q Clkfttw byG7aduilie . . a . . 23. GARDEN OF THE HOUSE AT PASSY . . ...

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