PREFACE

This édition of La Recherche de V Absolu has been prepared for the use of American students in the hope that it may find a place along with the other texts of Balzac's works that hâve recently appeared. The high place accorded to it by critics and its moderate length should entitle it to a place in gênerai reading courses, as well as in, those dealing especially with the novel. Its simplicity of plot and comparative freedom from long and difficult descriptions and rambling disquisitions make it possible to use the book very early in a French course.

So many Balzac texts hâve appeared of late, each with a more or less exhaustive account of his life and Works, that to add another to this long list seems uncalled for. I hâve limited myself to a brief sketch of the author's life, a brief discussion of his work in gênerai, and a slightly more detailed considération of the text in hand. In addition to usual standard works on Balzac, such as André Le Breton, Balzac^ Vhomme et Vomvre^ Spoelberch de Lovenjoul, Histoire des œuvres de Balzac, Autour de Honoré de Balzac, Taine in Nouveaux essais de critique et d^histoire, I am indebted to Frederick Lawton's Balzac, New York,