The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13
9rw CIVILIZATIONS.
BALZAC AND HIS TINES.

When Balzac was born, In the last yeasl
Of the last century. France had but just
emerged from one Of the most terrible eric
ses that ever befell a civilized nation. The
Directory was then in power. but was disc
placed before the end Of that year by the.
Consuls, three in number, of whom NapoN
leon was the chief. Soon the entire auA
thority was vested in Napoleon, and a few
years later he became Emperor. Then fold
lowed that long series of wars which shoolE
Europe from the Pyrenees to the snow-clad
mountains of Russia, and ended at last in
the combination of the other European maj
tions against France and the downfall Oh
Napoleon at Waterloo. With the ~restora-!
tion of the Bourbons, France had in Louis,
XVIII. an even weaker monarch than hiDi
unfortunate brother, Louis XVI, whom
the Infatuated populace of Paris caused to-
be put to death. Louis XVIII. was the
last one Of the Bourbons to die a king. His!
brother, Charles X, who succeeded him.,
showed by his reign that the old Bourbon1'
could never learn and never forget" A
tyrant to the last, the revolution of 1880
rid the nation Of him, and then, in the cleo,
ton Of Louis Philippe. also a Bourbon. but Of
cal problem seemed to have been. solved foHf
many years. But 1t proved to be impossi-
BILE for France 10 be content under a king,
whether he ruled by divine right or by
TlRnI u tltCtlCH. lUt TtNOtuIlOh u 1o4Ol
ended the inglorious reign of this, the lasts
of the Bourbons. Thus France at length
became republican, but the governments
as at first constituted was short lived, -andS
who afterward became Emperor of tho
French, was chosen President of the Re-,
public. 1t was during his Presidency that
Balzac died, in 1850, after devoting him.l
self to literature more aSsiduously perhaps
than any writer ever did before or since.
But what a theme for an author even Of
BalZac's rare genius What material! He
did not have to draw upon either ancient
Or d history, nor, though his
Imagination was as vivid as that of any
mar who ever wrote, did he find it neceSs'
sary, az so many latter-day novelists have
done, to draw upon the twentieth CENTURY
During the ~tfty-one years that marked the
span of Balzac's life France had seven
different kinds of government. There waO
the Directory, the government by Consnlss'
first three in number, and then only one
and that one Napoleon; then the empire1
the return to the old Bourbon monarchy
then the constitutional monarchy, and last
the republic. Little need had Balzac ia.
go to the past or the future for lit%
crary material. He wrote of the times i3y
which he lived. lie told what he saw and
heard and felt. He drew a picture OF life
in France during the first half of the press
proud, the soldier and the civilian, thos
peasant and the Partisan. Though in mo-
sense a history, Balzac's Comedie HUI.
maine gives DeIleF tndll any HlStOTy hIk
idea of France MS 1t was during those dar2
days, when pomp and pride, greed OF pow&
err, and love of liberty all commended toA
gether for the mastery.
Did ever an author have such a themeG
And did ever one rise to the occasion better
than Balzac2 hat he was equal TO the
task is the testimony of all the great writA
ers who have lived since his day.
1t is surprising that a novelist OF Balls
zac's unparalleled genius should have been
so little known to American readers until
within a very recent time. But, thanks to
the Gebbie Publishing Co., his complete.
works may now be obtained In u scholarly
English translation. The edition, too, is
artistic as to bOoliwork, and there Is mol
library in the land, public or private, thaSi
can afford to be without II, especially In
view of the fact that its moderate prices
places it within the reach Of all.
The Comedie Humane entire Is published
In thirty volumes of convenient size, and
the droll stories. which the Gchbie Company
are to furnish in connection with the Como
edie Humane, are given in two additionat
volumes. Specimen pages will be sent ou6
application. Address
GEBBIE PUBLISHING CO., LIMITED
Bennett AuildinG, New York city.
DARE BL~ES.-uE- (blaok letter. an4
N Breaches Bibles, and q few other rare WORKS frouS
year 1850 mp. Address BIBLES, boz ia sun oncs4
&C TosEPHUs." " History OF FlAEellatiol" W.