REPERTORY OF THE COMEDIE HUMAINE



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE

"Work crowned by the French Academy" is a significant line borne by
the title-page of the original edition of Messieurs Cerfberr and
Christophe's monumental work. The motto indicates the high esteem in
which the French authorities hold this very necessary adjunct to the
great Balzacian structure. And even without this word of approval, the
intelligent reader needs but a glance within the pages of the
_Repertory of the Comedie Humaine_ to convince him at once of its
utility.

In brief, the purpose of the _Repertory_ is to give in alphabetical
sequence the names of all the characters forming this Balzacian
society, together with the salient points in their lives. It is, of
course, well known that Balzac made his characters appear again and
again, thus creating out of his distinct novels a miniature world. To
cite a case in point, Rastignac, who comes as near being the hero of
the _Comedie_ as any other single character, makes his first
appearance in _Father Goriot_, as a student of law; then appearing and
disappearing fitfully in a score of principal novels, he is finally
made a minister and peer of France. Without the aid of the _Repertory_
it would be difficult for any save a reader of the entire _Comedie_ to
trace out his career. But here it is arranged in temporal sequence,
thus giving us a concrete view of the man and his relation to this
society.