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publication of these two works； he sold the Lafontaine to Baudouin； who paid for it by transferring to Balzac a number of uncollectable claims。 One of these； amounting to 28；840 francs； was a debt owed by a bookseller in Reims； named Fremeau； who had failed and who cleared off this obligation by turning over to Balzac an entire shopful of battered old volumes； out of date and worthless。
Did this first disastrous experience turn him aside from further business ventures？ Not at all。 Balzac was by nature dogged and persevering。 Hope illuminated his calculations； he found the best of reasons to explain the failure of an edition of classic authors； but he conjured up still better ones for assailing new enterprises。 The edition of the classics had not been a success；well； no matter！ He would establish himself as a printer。 In the course of his peregrinations among the printing…houses he had made the acquaintance of a young foreman named Barbier； in whose welfare he had become interested and whose special ability he had recognised。 He decided to take him into partnership。
Balzac's father； when asked to help his son to establish himself in business； gave a guarantee of thirty thousand francs； which represented the invested capital； that had yielded the interest of fifteen hundred francs； the sum allowed him at an earlier period。 Mme。 de Berny interested herself in the proposed venture； and so did M。 d'Assouvillez； the former silent partner。 Balzac acquired the establishment of Laurens Sr。； Printer； No。 17； Rue des Marais…Saint…Germain； now Rue Visconti； at the cost of thirty thousand francs； plus twelve thousand francs as an indemnity to Barbier； because he was resigning from an assured position； and fifteen thousand francs for equipments。 On the 12th of April； 1826； he sent in an application to the Minister of the Interior； and； thanks to two letters of recommendation from M。 de Berny； counsellor to the Royal Court of Paris； he obtained his license on January 1st； as successor to Jean…Joseph Laurens； retired。
What was Balzac's life during the two years that he practised the profession of printer？ In his contract of partnership with Barbier he had reserved for himself the offices of bookkeeper and cashier； signing papers and soliciting orders； while his associate was to attend to the technical end of the enterprise。 In order to feed his presses with work； Balzac counted upon his energy； his will power； his spirit of initiative and his tact； he mentally recapitulated the number of publishers with whom he had had relations； and who beyond a doubt would entrust their work to him。 The printing house was located on the ground floor of a distinctly gloomy building in the Rue des Marais； a street so narrow that two carriages found it difficult to pass each other。
When he had finished his round of calls upon clients； he watched the busy labour of his workmen in the fetid atmosphere of the composing room； and he swelled with joy as though he himself were the motor power of the various parts of a living organism。 Nothing discouraged him； neither physical fatigue nor the mental strain of carrying on so huge an enterprise。 Then； when it seemed as though he was on the point of bending beneath the burden； a secret consolation caused him once again to square his shoulders。 On the floor above the printing house he had fitted up a little apartment quite luxuriously； and there each day he received Mme。 de Berny； who came to bring him the comfort of brave and tender words； which seemed to him to open the golden gates of the future。 For Mme。 de Berny these were the hours in which she could lay bare her ardent and sensitive soul； while for Balzac they were a whole education in sentiment and social graces at the hands of a woman rich in sensibility and in memories。 At this period she exerted a most effective influence over the ideas of her young friend； she pictured to him the conditions of fashionable life prior to the Revolution； with its great ladies； its court intrigues； and its mysteries of passion and ambition； and she imbued him with monarchical principles。 But； above all else； it was she herself who was the life…giving flame which fired his genius。 All of Balzac's life seems to have been impregnated with these first lessons received from her； and he could never recall without emotion the aid that he received from Mme。 de Berny during those early years of hard struggles。 In 1837 he wrote as follows to Mme。 Hanska：
〃I should be very unjust if I did not say that from 1823 to 1833 an angel sustained me through that hideous battle。 Mme。 de B。。。； although married； has been like an angel to me。 She has been mother； sweetheart； family； friend and counsellor； she has formed the writer； she has consoled the man； she has created my taste； she has wept and laughed with me like a sister； she has come day after day and every day to lull my sorrows； like a beneficent sleep。 She has done even more； because； although her finances are in control of her husband； she has found means to lend me no less than forty…five thousand francs； and I paid back the last six thousand francs in 1836； including five per cent。 interest； of course。 But it was only gradually that she came to speak of my debt。 Without her I should certainly have died。 She often became aware that I had had nothing to eat for several days； and she provided for all my needs with angelic goodness。 She encouraged me in that pride which preserves a man from all baseness； and which today my enemies reproach me for； as being a foolish self…satisfaction； and which Boulanger has perhaps somewhat exaggerated in his portrait of me。〃 （The original of this portrait of Honore de Balzac is at the chateau of Wierzchownia； there is a copy of it in the Palace at Versailles。）
The illusions which Balzac cherished of the rapid success of his printing house vanished very soon； and from the outset he found himself facing the realities of a difficult situation。 In spite of all his efforts； clients remained rare； and there was no sort of order either in the business organisation or in the financial management。 M。 Gabriel Vicaire has made an investigation to determine how many works issued from Balzac's presses； and he has been unable to count more than one hundred and fifty； or thereabouts； which was a small number； during a space of two years； for an important and well…equipped printing house。 The first order that he filled was a druggist's prospectus； Anti…mucous Pills for Longevity； or Seeds of Life； for Cure； a Parisian druggist； of No。 77； Rue Saint…Antoine； it was a four…leaf 8vo pamphlet； dated July 29； 1826。 The average orders seem to have been commonplace enough； nevertheless； Balzac did print a number of interesting books for various publishers； among others； The Historical and Literary Miscellanies of M。 Villemain； for Ladvocat； and La Jacquerie； Feudal Scenes； followed by the Carvajal Family； a drama by the 〃author of the dramatic works of Clara Gazul〃 （Merimee）； for Brissot…Thivars。 He was also the printer for two periodicals； the Gymnase； for Carnot and Hippolyte Auger； the editors of that review of social tendencies； and the Annales Romantiques； for Urbain Canel。 The latter was the publisher of the younger literary school； and brought out in his magazine the works of Victor Hugo； Alfred de Vigny； Benjamin Constant； Chateaubriand； Delavigne； etc。 Are we to suppose that business cares had turned Balzac aside from all his literary projects？ And what must his feelings have been when he read on pages still smelling of fresh ink names already familiar； and some of them long since famous； while he himself was still only a simple printer？ There is reason for thinking that his business venture； with all its cares and anxieties； never interrupted the silent but fabulous labour that was shaping itself inside his brain； and that when he saw new authors becoming famous he merely said； 〃My day will come。〃 Meanwhile； he yielded to an influence absolutely opposed to his natural bent； and contributed to the Annales two poems perfectly romantic in tone： an Ode to a Young Girl and Verses Written in an Album。
But in reality Balzac never had the gift of versification； even in his youth； and later on； when he had need of poems for his Human Comedy； he applied to his friends； Theophile Gautier； Mme。 de Girardin； or Lassailly； merely indicating the general tone of the verses he wanted them to write。
In addition to the above…mentioned periodicals； Honore de Balzac printed the Album of History and Anecdote； from January to April； 1827； and he seems also to have been its editor。 For； as a matter of fact； subscriptions to it were received at the printing house； No。 17； Rue des Marais…Saint…Germain； and there are anecdotes to be found in it which he afterwards repeated in some of his works。
In spite of all his hopes and efforts； the business went from bad to worse； and Balzac endured all the agonies of a merchant who sees the dawn of the day when a note falls due and knows that his cash drawer is empty。 We can picture him； anxiously studying his account books； with his elbows on his desk； and imagining a thousand ingenious means of meeting his financial troubles。 But the hard reality shattered them； one by one； like thin glass