sympathetic interest, broad information, and inspiring encouragement. 

To still another would she express her thanks.  The Princess Radziwill
has taken a great interest in this work, which deals so minutely with
the life history of her aunt, and she has been most gracious in giving
the author much information not to be found in books.  She has made
many valuable suggestions, read the entire manuscript, and approved of
its presentation of the facts involved. 

JUANITA H.  FLOYD.
Evansville, Indiana. 

INTRODUCTION 

A quantity of books have been written about Balzac, some of which are
very instructive, while others are nothing but compilations of gossip
which give a totally wrong impression of the life, works and
personality of the great French novelist.  Having the honor of being
the niece of his wife, the wonderful /Etrangere/, whom he married
after seventeen years of an affection which contained episodes far