honore de balzac-第1节

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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