按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Honore de Balzac
by Albert Keim and Louis Lumet
Translated from the French by FREDERIC TABER COOPER
GENERAL NOTE
Of all the books perhaps the one best designed for training the mind and forming the character is 〃Plutarch。〃 The lives of great men are object…lessons。 They teach effort； devotion； industry； heroism and sacrifice。
Even one who confines his reading solely to biographies of thinkers； writers； inventors； poets of the spirit or poets of science； will in a short time have acquired an understanding of the whole History of Humanity。
And what novel or what drama could be compared to such a history？ Accurate biographies record narratives which no romancer's imagination could hope to rival。 Researches； sufferings； labors； triumphs； agonies and disasters； the defeats of destiny； glory； which is the 〃sunlight of the dead；〃 illuminating the past； whether fortunate or tragic；such is what the lives of Great Men reveal to us； or； if the phrase be allowed； paint for us in a series of fascinating and dramatic pictures。
This series of biographies is accordingly intended to form a sort of gallery； a museum of the great servants of Art； Science； Thought and Action。
It was Emerson who wrote a volume devoted to the Representatives of Humanity。 Here we have still another collection of 〃Representative Men。〃 This collection of profoundly interesting studies is entrusted to the care of two writers； Mr。 Albert Keim and Mr。 Louis Lumet； both of whom have already earned their laurels； the former as poet； novelist； playwright； historian and philosopher； and author of a definitive work upon Helvetius which deserves to become a classic； and the latter as publicist； art critic and scholar of rare and profound erudition。 An acquaintance with the successive volumes in this series will give ample evidence of the value of such able collaborators。
On the mountain tops we breathe a purer and more vivifying air。 And it is like ascending to a moral mountain top when we live； if only for a moment； with the dead who； in their lives did honour to mankind； and attain the level of those whose eyes now closed； once glowed like beacon…lights； leading humanity on its eternal march through night…time towards the light。
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 ：： The Treatise on the Human Will。
Chapter 2 ：： The Garret。
Chapter 3 ：： His Apprenticeship。
Chapter 4 ：： In Business。
Chapter 5 ：： The First Success。
Chapter 6 ：： Dandyism。
Chapter 7 ：： The 〃Foreign Lady。〃
Chapter 8 ：： At Les Jardies。
Chapter 9 ：： In Retirement。
Chapter 1。
The Treatise on the Human Will。
At Balzac's funeral； the glorious yet bitter seal upon his destiny； Victor Hugo delivered a magnificent address； and in his capacity as poet and seer proclaimed with assurance the judgment of posterity：
〃His life has been brief yet full； and richer in works than in days。
〃Alas！ This powerful and indefatigable worker； this philosopher； this thinker； this poet； this genius has lived amongst us that life of storms； of struggles； of quarrels； of combats； which has always been the common lot of all great men。 Today we see him at peace。 He has escaped from controversies and enmities。 He has entered； on the selfsame day； into glory and into the tomb。 Henceforward he will shine far above all those clouds which float over our heads； among the brightest stars of his native land。〃
This discourse was admirable for its truth； its justice and its far…sightedness； a golden palm branch laid upon the author's tomb； around which there still arose clamours and bitter arguments； denying the greatness of his works； and rumours which veiled the features of the man behind a haze of absurd legends。 A star of his country he certainly was； as Victor Hugo proclaimed him； one of those enduring stars which timeso cruel to othersfails to change； except to purify their light and augment their brilliance； to the greater pride of the nation。 His life was indeed short； but it was one which set a salutary example； because； stripped of idle gossip； it teaches us the inner discipline； the commanding will and the courage of this hero who； in the midst of joy and sorrow alike； succeeded in creating an entire world。
Honore de Balzac was born at Tours on the 20th of March； 1799； on the ground floor of a building belonging to a tailor named Damourette； in the Rue de l'Armee d'Italie； No。 25；now No。 35； Rue Nationale。 The majority of his biographers have confused it with the dwelling which his father bought later on； No。 29 in the same street according to the old numbering； and the acacia which is there pointed out as having been planted at the date of his birth really celebrated that of his brother Henri； who was several years the younger。
Although born in Touraine； Balzac was not of Tourainian stock； for his birthplace was due merely to chance。 His father； Bernard Francois Balssa or Balsa； came originally from the little village of Nougaire； in the commune of Montirat and district of Albi。 He descended from a peasant family； small land…owners or often simple day labourers。 It was he who first added a 〃c〃 to his patronymic and who later prefixed the particle for which the great novelist was afterwards so often reproached。 Bernard Balssa； born July 22； 1746； left his native village at the age of fourteen years； never to return。 What was his career； and what functions did he fulfil？ Honore de Balzac says that his father was secretary to the Grand Council under Louis XV； and Laure Surville； his sister； wrote that under Louis XVI he was attorney to the Council。 He himself； in an invitation to the marriage of his second daughter； Laurence； described himself as former secretary to the King's Council。 During the revolution he was secretary to the minister of the navy； Bertrant de Molleville； and later was director of the commissary department in the first division of the Armee du Nord； stationed at Lille。
It is impossible to follow him through all the different wanderings necessitated by his functions； but it is known that upon returning to Paris he there married the daughter of one of his superior officers； Sallambier； attached to the Ministry of War and at the same time director of the Paris hospitals。 At the time of the marriage； January 30； 1797； he was fifty…one years of age； his bride； Laure； was only eighteen； a young girl possessed of culture； beauty and distinction of manner。 The first fruit of this union was a son； who； although nursed by the mother； died at an early age。 Through the influence of his father…in…law； the elder Balzac obtained in 1799 the direction of the commissary department of the twenty…second military division； and installed himself at Tours； where the division was stationed； in the early months of the same year。
Francois soon had a reputation throughout the province。 He was a sort of philosopher and reformer； a man with ideas。 He despised the currently accepted opinions； and proclaimed his own boldly； indifferent to the consternation of his fellow townsmen。 A large head emerging from the high； thick collar of his blue； white…braided coat； which opened to disclose an ample cravat； a smooth…shaven face and florid complexion； a powerful chin and full cheeks； framed in short； brown 〃mutton…chop〃 whiskers； a small mouth with thick lips； a long straight； slightly bulbous nose； an energetic face lit up by black eyes； brilliant and slightly dreamy； beneath a broad； determined forehead overhung with stray locks of hair； gathered back in the fashion of the Republic；all these features proclaimed a rugged personality； a dominant character； conspicuously at variance with the placid bourgeoisie of Touraine。 Francois Balzac had furthermore an agreeable presence and a self…satisfied manner； and it pleased him to boast of his southern origin。
The citizens of Tours spoke of him as 〃an eccentric；〃 but he was greatly annoyed when the term reached his ears； for； good Gascon that he was； and proud of himself； body and mind； he felt that it was singularly humiliating to be treated with so little respect。 In point of fact； he was quite justified in refusing to accept an appellation which； however well it might fit his manners as a well…intentioned fault…finder； caustic and whimsical in speech； in no way applied to his unusually broad and penetrating intelligence； teeming with new and strictly original ideas。
He was a disciple of Rousseau； he held certain social theories； and he was unsparing in his criticisms of existing governments。 He had his own views as to how society at large should be governed and improved。 The first of these views consisted in cultivating mankind； by applying the method of eugenic selection to marriage； in such a manner that after a few years there would be no human beings left save those who were strong； robust and healthy。 He could not find sufficient sarcasm to express his scorn of governments which； in civilised countries； allowed the development of weaklings； cripples and invalids。 Perhaps he based his theory upon his own example。 Francois Balzac had the constitution of an athlete and believed himself destined to live to the age of a hundred years and upward。 According