Project Gutenberg's Women in the Life of Balzac, by Juanita Helm Floyd

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Title: Women in the Life of Balzac

Author: Juanita Helm Floyd

Release Date: January 18, 2006 [EBook #3164]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF BALZAC ***

Produced by Dagny; and John Bickers

WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF BALZAC

BY

JUANITA HELM FLOYD

TO

MY SISTER NANNIE

" . . . for no one knows the secret of my life,
and I do not wish to disclose it to any one."
_Lettres a l'Etrangere_, V. I, p. 418, July 19, 1837.

PREPARER'S NOTE

This text was originally published in 1921 by Henry Holt and
Company.

PREFACE

In presenting this study of Balzac's intimate relations with various
women, the author regrets her inability, owing to war conditions, to
consult a few books which are out of print and certain documents which
have not appeared at all in print, notably the collection of the late
Vicomte de Spoelberch de Lovenjoul.

The author gladly takes this opportunity of acknowledging her deep
gratitude to various scholars, and wishes to express, even if
inadequately, her appreciation of their inspiring contact; especially
to Professor Chester Murray and Professor J. Warshaw for first
interesting her in the great possibilities of a study of Balzac. To
Professor Henry Alfred Todd she is grateful for his sympathetic
scholarship, valuable suggestions as to matter and style, and for his
careful revision of the manuscript; to Professor Gustave Lanson, for
his erudition and versatile mind, which have had a great influence; to
Professor F. M. Warren, for reading a part of the text and for many
general ideas; to Professor Fernand Baldensperger, for reading the
text and for encouragement; to Professor Gilbert Chinard, Professor
Earle B. Babcock and Professor LeBraz for re-reading the text and for
valuable suggestions; and to Professor John L. Gerig for his