condensation as to make direct quotation difficult.  This
difficulty was increased by the fact that occasional use was made
of different translations of the same book, and that frequent
references to the original were found necessary. 

The Synopses of the Plots of the novels are arranged in the order
in which the books should be read, as indicated by their Author in
/Le Docteur Pascal/, and confirmed by his biographer, Mr.  E.  A.
Vizetelly. 

EDINBURGH, May, 1912.  J.  G.  P. 

INTRODUCTION 

Emile Zola was born at Paris on 2nd April, 1840.  His father, Francois
Zola, was a man whose career up to that time had not been a success,
though this was not due to any lack of energy or ability.  Zola /pere/
was of mixed nationality, his father being an Italian and his mother a
Greek, and it is not unlikely that his unrest and want of
concentration were due to the accident of his parentage.  When quite a