New-York tribune., 1886-05-23
EUGENE GRANDET.
A MASTERPIECE BY BALZAC.

tragedy in humble life; epic OF passion "s
Taine styles IT, but framed upon the simplest mes
PERHAPS nowhere in tho " Comede Humane Is the
authors profound knowledge of human nature 80
fully d iplayed. Certainly nowhere are ms inclS-
csiycness his creative vigor hs power OF packing
meaning into words and phrases, more strikinsy
exhibited. Taine says that Graudet IL Molleres
Uarpegon brought back and metamorphosed INC
comparison isunustiicd There is no suggestion OF
Harpcgon in Grandet. The one point OF likeness Is
that both were misers. but Grandet il much more
serious, n much more Formidable character. harpo
gon exctes contempt; Grandct rouses fear. Tho
one is merely base the other is deliberately ana
mastcrfully evil. Balzao has enlarged his hsnre
bv endO wing him with au intellectual force when
renders him not so much despcable as dam
gcrous One revolts from his sei1-cehtred
greed. but the ever-prcsent sense OF us
power causes him to be regarded rs sort OF VIII
beast with the ability not less than the inclination
to dcvour all be 'ore him.
There is in truth, no mscr in fiction to be COM
pared to this one and none whose portrait has been
so olaboratcly finished, with such myriad fine lnes
and touches with such laborious detail, with such
marvellous verisimiiitude. Had Ba!zac kept tho
man under his eye for years, living with HIM,
studying him day and night, taking notes OF his
sayings and dongs he could not have
given to his account of Grandct more
perfect air of biography. With what con-
summate art the mlser is put on the stage.
First we have n description of Saumur, so that
general idea is conveyed of the kind OF people the
drama is to embrace We see the provincial popu-
lation narrow. selfish, set in their ways, always
watching one another. full of small gossip. know
ing one anothers affairs to the bottom, thinking
themselves shrewd, yet crude creinIous and gull
bic. Then the central figure enters; the man
whose superior mind dominates this crowd OF
thick headed JoUgeoisie; who plays upon them,
fccces them without compuncton when op-
portunity serves; whom they half-iear,
half-hato, yet always bow down 10.
His picture is drawn in strong, clear strokes.
peasant by birth, with the PEASANTS greed anu
coarseness, hc made his first lucky stroke oy puy-
ing IN church lands for song at the tlme OF tho
Revolution. That fixed the passion for wealth IN
his heart and ever since he has been adding hed TO
field and vineyard to vineyard until nobody knows
what he is worth BY this time are ready to
accompany him to hIs home a wonderful descrip-
ton of which Eliminates and advances the story
The sordid Interior the peEuTous mdnege, the habit
ually cowed wife and daughter, the honest, faith
full stupid Grandc Nanon, all helpus to understand
Grandet These the surroundings he has erected,
this the environment his character has evolved
Step by step, as the story unfods. the mscr
advances III his rapacity, IN the Development oi
a passion when is gradually absorbing him. At IN
tcrvals in exclamation or a remark, the uepth
of his spiritual degradation Is revealed. lake tins
observation for an example: His nephew Charles
has Just been told that his father has failed in busl-
ness and killed himself. The young mau falls into
a uas ion of grief exhibits ndIte renee to the loss
OF fortune but cries aload in his agony for his
father upon which old Grandet remarks to
inT
nothing: he thinks more Of the dead than Of money.
II Is Il flash OF urid ght upon the mans character.
Ill, brother mas failed for four millions OF francs.
Grandct al frst will not hear OF making himself
responsible for any OF the liabilities but presently
he see, a way to save the family honor and avert
bankruptcy wi hout putting himself to any eX-
pcnse and what pleases him most Ill tile scheme IS
the lea Of ca ing lho Paris ere litors and laughing
al them in his sleeve. One oi his special Delights IS
in egal chicane. Money got without the sweeten-
ing of successful cunning loses part Of its value
fo nm. What neIghtels his sense Of gain IS tho
assurance .aat il represents his ncIehbor' loss
No.hio,. howeN"r Is too small 20 excite his en-
pidity. Iii. nephew w,'hcs to sell ms tfinkets.
Grandet So. zes the opportunity {" cheat somebody.
and b us them himself much below tic'rYaiue' lie
aiy.s lis poor wife pln-m0noy and then boTIoSi II
from her and iorg,ts 10 repay the loan. lie IS
ayays trying to oycrIe lch ever, body aud because
of his snpcfior capacity and he force which con-
ccnilated cgoti,m give, him be generally succeeds
Lycr,thn- that G IN help his crafty plots is care
fully attended to. lie has even practlscd |
habit Of stuttering whcl imperfect
matters are to be discussed because he
finds .Iat it tends to distract his interocutors and
80 gives Am the ADVANTAGE lie uses everyone. !
The tyo families, the Cruchots AMI th' des GriS-
sins who ale ri ,al aSpirants for tie hand OF Eu
e.. t,,.,l. Ia. ftr.tf srb
EMPLOYS them and laugh, at them. While he is |,
Gathering fresh revenues from without, watching /
The funds, seizing eyery chauce to increase his /
hoarI he is practising the severcst economy III his
household. lie never buys meat, rclylue upon his
tenants lor fowls. eggs, butter, hour etc he |
weighs out all the provisions every morning. lie
serves ont just many humps OF sugar FIRES |
ar. l,rhtel in his home on the lst OF November |
and put out on the 3l,t of March. no matter what
the stare Of the weather. He makes tie servant
sit with the family in the evening to save Isht |
As he grows richer his parS,mony Increases, hls
oyarIce becomes more con ,clenc less and horrible
He kills ms wife by III, harsh treatment of Eugene
because tlo iatfcr had daled to dispose ol some
co!d pieces given her by her father. Before his
wilo Is fairly cold he cajole, his daughter into re-
InqnIsAng her Inheritance to hn, aud when she
ba, dc,polled herself ho shows far more emotion
than on the death of his faithful and submissive
wife; he bursts into tears and deciarcs that Eu-
genie mas saved hi, life
The development of the mans passion proceeds
steadily until his death. and his last conscioa, act
s TO clutch grcodIly at the sIlyer-gllt crucihx
which the priest holds mp before his dying eyes 1t
Is a lifting cad to sucn y lltc.
Eugene Granlct is reared under the roof of tins
man. She and her mother are his slaves. He
speaks of them in tolerant, conteinpi uous way as
"tIc lunets.D He never trusts them they know
nothing Of hIs business or of his wealth. Living
continually IN the most penurIoas way they are at
once 700 innocent and too ignorant 90 su pect the
truth The advent Of Charles Grlndet is the one idyl
in Eugenlo's sombrc existence. The young Partisan,
with Dr., cAcminafc airs. his daintly carc-ior per-