New-York tribune., 1872-07-05

able lighting man and the statesman with the handsome
man.
"Thermida" the label Of novel by Mr HericaIdt'
worthless nearly by artistic tests as novel; put having
a positive value for its studious reproduction OF INC
streets and houses Of Paris and something OF the man
ners and habits Of their passengers and nhapahts ~
an interesting period OF revolutionary history Notable
and commendabe in far higher sense mingled work
OF historical study and creative imagination is George
Sands last novel, Nanon. AS strictly, truly unspeaka-
ably moro delicatey and artstically historical as
and than Erckmann-C Chatrtan's historical romances'
" Nanon" combines all the charms OF George SANDS ex
ouisely idealised faithfully studied reasm 30 far as
the mere external facts Of the story concerned win
the bearing and definite inhuencesof the old revolution
on the manners and actions OF communities, and on the
development and educational shaping OF indiVlduai
characters Let alone the fact that TO mere mover reue
Nanon is Of the most charming OF her numoeress
romances venture to commend 1t one OF the nrst
suggestively wise works yet written on tnat ever
open theme-the ever discussed as yet incalcuiapie
phenomenon Of modern history the French kevoutloh'
must pick, for noting, IN the scant time ana pace
that Is left from the bookst purely literary pun
cation The fact that your reporter foreeoes others
to come to instance, would be ignoranty poor agu
ment for proof thai the intellectual movement repo
sented by literature could not and did not SNOW l'S
fertile existence by the large fact Of Its movement Inc
22d volume OF the so-styled complete, best mtner'o
arrived at edition of Balzacs works is Just out from
Michel Levrys press tbs is the only toeraby deceny
complete edition Of the writings OF the most
~ the incomparaby greatest, OF all modern
human creatures. LevTys edition Is sncerey' ieo"y
iBedited The editing creatures inability TO apprehend
some of the simplest duties OF his ofbce-n the matter
of annotated dates and insertion of statement OF ndlspu
table but forgotten underlined facts-would be auSha-
BILE II il were not for the high melancholy mood the
velnfended man sets one INTO The book this twenty
second volume Of the only toeTaby complete edition OF
the works of Balzac offers next TO no interest 10 the
very nresept modern reader; but is interesting,
and provokes more entrancing study for the upper
class student Of latter French literary ART in this par
tcuar, and of absolute literary art lndepehdent Oh
national accidents Here six hundred and odd oc
tavo pages filed with the scraps OF Bazac. There are
notices often critical Of books uncassable variety
of subjects and then essays, statements, plead
ings on against, and for such variety OF SUBJECTS
with such a rare ability of presenting, pleading, and
essaying on and for or against all OF them as makes
Balzac TO us lesser lockers on miraculous. 80 COM
plete he showed himself TO all comers, foi
historical or other documentary completeness OF
attack or defense Trying hard against local French
counter currents 70 keep within properly literary
boundaries return TO this 22d volume of the Complete
Edition of Bazlc, to signalize its last half do nj
know OF guess of any other mine Of study for literary
artists that approaches for entertaining instructive
value the wealth In that kind offered in the last hall
Of this last volume Of Dalzao Complete Here you may
read his defense of himself the reprints of his old de
fensive prefaces his first and timdly following edi
tons Of his masterpieces. When considers the fact
that Bazac did write those prefaces, that he was adj
yised by changes Of time TO modify or withdraw them
and that after all the notifications and Withdrawals
we are the shameful justification Of Balzac-i Well II
is worth the while TO peruse the latest published volume
Of Balzac in view of something than the super
| fetal meaning Of his views or phases at any time