New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-19
BALZAC IN ENGLISH.
THE STORY OF URSULA.

asq " ksaHe Hon@eS
PIP. sos. Boston, Roberts Brothers.
Balzac's "Ursule Mrouet" originally published
In 1s4 Just fifty years ago. and it is an interesting and
curious circumstance that is in particular quite
in touch with the present day. while in more than one
respect Bazacs treatment of the subject to which VIC
have reference will be found abreast Of the most modern
and scientific thought. The story of Ursula is In itself
q strong one and 1t exhibits the authors distinctive
literary traits with more than his usual emphasis In
the porraiture of persons and places 1t is remarkably
fertile. From the opening pages which set in sharp re-
lief the face and figure Of Minoret, the gigantic and ra
pacious postmaster to the end rapid succession Of vivid
pictures passes before the Of the reader One comes
to all these people OF Nemours all these greedy
and suspicious heirs who hardly wait until the breaI
is out of the poor Doctors body who spy upon him and
Ursula noting every outgoing and incoming every par
chase every change of habit, the part Of both Of
Them and interpreting everything so noted from the
sole point Of view of its bearing upon the inheritance
problem that absorbs them.
Never did Balzac more powerfully and ptilessly show
forth the traits and tendencies of half animal
bourgeoisie, Old Minoret, Zelie (his Wife, Massn,
Cremiere Goup the notarys clerk and all the circle
10 which they belong may be said to typify the worst
side of the provincial character hdeously carcatud
nv Zoa Here we wholesome thrift degeneTated into
shameless covetousness family ties perverted into the
bonds which unite gang Of thieves blood relationship
construed as license to plumber the richest member OF
the family Here too, the state of provincial Thought
concerning religion in the postRevouton generation is
strngy and ngeniousy illustrated by the fury of the
Doctors heirs when they learn that from being ma
terialist he has become Christian fury engendered
bv the apprehension that the good mans conversion Will
rebound to the worldly advantage Of Ursula whose pous
love has been the instrument of the Doctors change OF
heart But mover did Balzac create more charming
pure and tender creature than Ursula herself Such
Antiap Ha hiatt m
Nevcome is a benediction. This young girl, who has
been brought up by three old men-an able. soldier
and a physcian-and has been guarded and guided and
taught with truly religious devotion by all OF Them Is
a masterpiece OF naturalness nobility truth and mod
esty The courtshp between her and young Savnien
de Portenduere is delightful episode moreover in
which the girls fresh and innocent soul is most delicate
ly and beautifully exhibited
Perhaps some readers may bogglc over the chapter
entitled A Treatise Mesmerism,' In which the OLD
| Doctor MinOret has experience OF the wonders OF
" clairvoyance" But II Is precisely here that as
before observed Balzac is most singlarly In touch
with modern thought and the proof Of that assertion
must not be withheld. inasmuch as it will add to the
interest of the story for all thinkers Not two months
ago there published in Paris treatise entitled
" Therapeutique Suggestive, son Mecanisme; Pro
prietes dverses du sommeil Provoque CT des etats
analogues," the author being the distinguished
| physician and hypnotic adept, DR.. A. A. Liebeault
of hypnotsm, is largely concerned with the power of
| mind, with the energc capacities of thought, and,
incidentally with considerations of thought force,
superior to- but analogous TO- those cosmc forces with
| which physical science busies itself NSF. in this
volume of DIR. Liebeaults there is remarkable
chapter on "Lucdlty," in which "Clairvoyance" is
discussed and there whole passages In this chapter
which go on all tours with Balzac's observations while
the cases in Illustration cited by the modern writer
actually exceed in marvellousness the fancy of the
romancer. Take for example the example Of Madame
Lenormand's prediction the Of the message
delivered at the point Of death The latter would
unQuestionaby fall within the scope of those cases col
ected by Messrs Myers and Quincy, in their Phan-
tasms of the Living" The former Is employed by
Dr. Lebeault to point argument for the capacities
OF human thought which really In Its logical m.pllca
tons goes far beyond the propositions of BaIsac
| Why, asks the modern inquirer, should not the
! penetrative power Of human thought not only equal
but surpass that Of light heat elasticity magnetism
These forces, we know span the interstelnr spaces
pierce even material obstacles, and pass everywhere
shall 1t be concluded that human thought whose
potency in the moral world know 10 be virtually
Infinite and whose dominion matter is being daily
made clear through researches into the influence Of
mind upon bOdyshall II be concluded that this sub
title and tremendous agency possesses less range than
the far coarser, the unintegent elemental forces
And why should Ii be incredible that thought. en-
Cendered by some great mental physical crisis