New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-05
BALZAC IN ENGLISH.
A WONDERFUL STUDY.

LOST ILLUSIONS. BY nonore. d.. Bazac. Trans
lated hy Katharine Prescott WormeIcy LIMO
PIP. 40 Boston; Roberts Brothers.
Tho translator Of "Iinsons Pcfdue,T has taken
the first and third II tie series e. Les DeuX Foote's
and Eve Of DavidO and put them together. leaving
"un Grand IIomme dc Province a Paris which Is
the second story In the authOrs arrangement. 10 mp
pear In a separate volume. This rcnrIang"m nj may
at first sight appear 10 b" rather bold ana certainly
unauthorized step on the part OF IN" translator.
but so far ns the interest and tho cohercncc Of n" rar
raiivc are concerned all who familiar with Bnzac
will admit that N" result Is advnntng os Ina much
a, "Un Grand Iommc dc Province a Paris is t. oil
practical intcnts separate story from that winch
treats Of the sechards and Lucen DE- Rub'mprc even
though the names are introduced In ho'h te
tales. As presented the drama. In til" oours" OF
which so many Illusions dspcllcd. Is freed from
Interruptions which break Us continuity ana I"
certain extent lessen the interest; and th" orah"s
Of the poet and his two unsclnsh friends can be- ol
lowed clearly 20 the natural climax
Nowhere has BnIzac shown greater opnl"nce Of
invention. deeper penetration into social cohNch'
lions than In this story. II Is ON" Of provincial
c and It Is fun. abounding IN Illustrations 80
careful in all liz details. that II all Other histories OF
the period treated by some catastrophe wiped
out Of existence 1t would still bc possible to recon
struc a perfectly lucid and felikc r"pr's n'alon OF
French society In the carly years 81 81" century IRON
these pages Among the most brilliant OF H. Yea uT'A
f. fine uicure OF provincial society 1t i distinct
pIcture-not a mere sketch. Tnc portraits u IN"
men and women who assembled In ID" par"rs OF
Madame de- Bargeton to hear Lucen read poetry are
NOT as I'm ordinary fiction "A mere collection oil hastily
sketchcd persons. II l. catalogue raisonne' In
which every feature aud shade OF color and character
Is noted, in which the men AMI women stand out
sharply and boldly In which habits no less than faces
are described. In short II Is ono OF tn" most won
dcrf studies Of the Kind u be found In all literature
Ieen flu,ni
over. elaboration; but any csrdld critic after reading
This remarkable description will have TO confess that
The thing was well worth the doing when " could b"
done IN This cnnsummac manner. and moreover that
il lends a realism to the story which couli probably
be impartcd In no other way hall 80 we'll The ten
dency Of tie tale Is in Itself Sarica vet not maieni
So One Is allowed 10 sec from the beginning that
LucIcn is sure TO fall into difficulties. and that his
ogo,ism will probably lead him To shuif" them OIL on
10 others As his passion for Madame de Bnrg"ton,
II Is plainly species OF that which cruel men OF the
world long ago labelled calf love-, while that OF the
lady herself is no genuine. being the Joint pro
duct Of an empty head and idle hands MADAME dc
Earreion indeed. Is in TO ovnble woman,
nei,he. is Lucicn heroic In point OF view. with
the poetic temperament he joins sellshness which
has no necessary affiliations with e"nlas. His inrN-
perencc and vanity cause him 10 be fooled 10 The
top Of his bent" By the who plays at loving
him and when the ruin which clearly ovcrlanGS him
falls and brushes him, little sympathy Is likely - be
felt for his fate.
David and Eve represent. however very different
world. They stand for the most unscllsh devotion.
the most loyal magnanimiry and the most patient
endurance. Eve Is not less eager than David 10 sac
rifcc their own welfare TO the ambition Of her light
headed and selfabsorcd brother who accepts all the
sacrifices which are made for him. and In the end
thinks he !, doing noble deed IN Undertaking. by
the first honest work he has ever accomplished. 10
pay on a 1.-THE OF his Indebtedness 10 The indulgcnt
friends he by his blind sclhslincss brought to the
Dor Of ruin. There is another very Interesting de-
,e!opment in story Of Eve and David. and II Illus
trateS the marvellous acutenc,s Of laracs Intentions
II Is 10 be observed that David. Will" sturdy worker
and full OF Ingenious dcns Is wanting in pncticalty
and hence his disastrous experiments IN the making
Of paper and other mechanical Inventions In spite
Of his general acntcncss he would have gone I" ruin
like LuGen but for the saving presence Of his vile
Ewes natural shicwdness and business sense.
This Is point which might be easily overlooked,
but II deserves to be- INSISTED upon because u shows
Ealzacs truth 10 nature IN the smallest details
David might make disastrous blundcrs but Eve. the
woman Of business. the clear type Of her SEA In
tain conditions rises TO the stress OF the situation
grasps The main points 10 be attended TO- and mot
indeed. without external help, proves the snvor Of
The mperilIed family This whole picture + marked
By wonderful Insight and fnesse II reads like his
tory rather than le tction. BIT then that Is the
Characteristic VI Eazac's stories and the more
one reads them the must he be impressed by |
their truth and their force. OF course the authors
own experience IN the printing and publishing bust
ness gave him special advantage In dealing with
these topics. and nOlbing could be better than his dc
scrtptions Of the bear" and his methods. This |
" bear too is IA weknown type, which will be |
oeniz"d by many who are acquainted with French |
character.
but indeed the same might be said Of nearly every |
character In the book: and The dramatIs pcrsonn-
are numerous. There really no half.drawn or |
shadowy figures Each one stands out fully and nat |
unliy Each one lives and moves without stiffness |
or awkwnrdness There Is plenty OF mcanness, plenty
OF ueness. In the story but after all the higher Qua
tiles dominate the movement and the interest Is
tanned at steady elevation from beginning 10 end |
Lost Illusions. In Short Is one OF the masters great