bility and purity of her love, and we again feel
that the "predilecta" never rose to her heights, and that to his first
love belongs the credit of "creating" Balzac.

[*] See "La Jeunesse de Balzac," by MM. Hanotaux and Vicaire, p. 74.

During Balzac's absence from Paris, Madame de Balzac, who was
installed in his rooms in the Rue Cassini, appears in quite a new
light, and one which leads to the suspicion that the much-abused lady
was not quite as black as she had been painted. The hard and heartless
mother is now transmogrified into the patient and indefatigable runner
of errands; and we must admire the business capacity, as well as
bodily strength, which Madame de Balzac showed in carrying out her
son's various behests. In one letter alone she was enjoined to carry
out the following directions[*]: (1) She was to copy out an article in
the _Silhouette_, which she would find on the second shelf for quartos
near the door in Balzac's room. (2) She was to send him her copy of
"Contes Drolatiques," and also "Les Chouans," which she would receive
corrected from Madame de Berny. Furthermore, she was told to dress in
her best and go to the library, taking with her the third and fourth
volumes of "Scenes de la Vie Privee," as a present to M. de Manne, the
librarian. She was then to hunt in the "Biographie Universelle" under
B or P for Bernard Palissy, read the article, make a note of all books
mentioned in it as written _by_ him or _about_ him, and ask M. de
Manne for them. Next, Laure was to be visited, as the "Biographie,"
which had formerly belonged to old M. de Balzac, was at her house; and
the works on Palissy mentioned in that must be compared carefully with
those already noted down; and if fresh names were found, another visit
must be paid to the librarian. If he did not possess all the books and
they were not very dear, they were to be bought. A visit to Gosselin
was to be the next excursion for poor Madame de Balzac, who apparently
walked everywhere to save hackney carriage fares; and as minor matters
she must send a letter he enclosed to its destination, and see that
the groom exercised the horses every day.

[*] "Correspondance," vol. i. p. 153.

Certainly, if Balzac worked like a galley slave himself, he also kept
his relations well employed; but Madame de Balzac apparently did
everything contentedly, in the hope, as a good business woman, that
the debts would at last be paid off; and though there were occasional