New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-22

THE DUCHEssE DE LANGEAIs; With AN EPI.
STS GtUDIssART, a PASSION IN THE DESERT,
ANA THE HIDDEN MASTERPIECE BY HONoHL
DE- BALZAC translated. Boston; Roberts Brothers.
The q Duchesse Ge Langeais" will De a revelation
TO those not already familiar with the productions
of Balzacs geuius So slight plot, yet so powerful
an interest," 50 limited a scene of action, vet so
sustained fascination; so prodigious philosophy,
so profound a knowledge of human nature, so keen
a psychologist analysis. condensed into so brief
space, bespeak the master The story, or rather
study is of two souls, brought together under cir
cumstances which, combining with the tendencies
set up by their previous conditions, produce strug
giles. commissions, and final tragedy so incSlvely
depicted so UNANIMOUSLY presented, that tie least
details become an intellectual possession for the
reader tbenceforth There is no meodrama in the
tale All the interest, all the action, Is confined to
the development of the relations between the
Duchess and Montriveau. man of noble mind.
one who has matured in all save knowledge Of the
conventional world and experience of woman's
love Is suddenly thrown into intimacy with tue
most dangerous the most fatal of charming women.
The Duchesse de Langeais IS youthful and beauti-
full creature who has been graduated IN all the
coquetres of Partisan court whose luxurious
leisure tempts her to practice her arts of seduction
but whose native purity or GOODNESS protects her
against the moral dangers OF such psstime. She
has never loved and he, in early middle age full
of energy, indomitable of WILL innocent of social
hypocrisles and women's treasons, loves for the
first time The contact of these dscordant spirits
furnishes BalzaC opportunity for the exhibition OF
his subtlest art The gradual processes by which
they change places; the ENHANCEMENT OF the
Ducbess desplte her GOODNESS and nsincerity in q
oyande passion ; the awakening of Montriveau to
the true character of her feelings the vengeance
nrepared by him. and its unforeseen and terrible
reaction-all is set forth with power and intensity
which convey an almost painful impression OF
reality.
1t is. as Theophile Gautier observed. red blood
that runs in the veins of Balzac's people, and not
mere ink as the creations of too many authors.
The same clever critic has explained the wonderful
vitality of these characters. "Balzac," writes
Gautier "possessed, like Vishnu.the gift of avatar.
but while the number of Vlshnus avatars is fixed
at ten those Of Balzac are beyond count, and what
is more he could invoke them at will. Though it
may seem a strange thing to say in the Nineteenth
Century, Balzac seer His gift of observa-
tion his perspieacity a Psychologist. his literary
cenins, are insufficient to account for the infinite
variety Of the two or three thousand types that
play more or less important parts in the Coincide
Humane. He did not copy them, he actually lived
them ideally. wearing their clothes, contracting
their habits, surrounding himself with their condi-
tons, being them for the time. Thus proceed these
sustained. logical characters which neither forget
themselves nor arc inconsistent with themselves,
which are endowed with an individuality at oBco
intimate and Profound: Thus it Is that Balzac pro
duced not only 50 many true types, but such
strongly differentiated female characters, alike only
in their naturalness and their vivid realism The
history of fiction indeed show little to compare
with this marvellous cabinet of heroines; this
fllastrous gallery containing such exquisite por-
Hroits rs those of Madame firlniani, Madame de