Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1884 — Balzac’s First Book. [ARTICLE]

Balzac’s First Book.

When Balzac was at the beginning of his career and known only to the few who had chanced upon his brilliant sketches in the Paris newspapers, it so happened that one of these sparkling effusions N fell in the way of a Paris bookseller, and was published. The bookseller thought he had, from long experience, a shrewd idea of what would take with the Parisian public. He folded the paper and laid it down with an air of decision, saying as he did so: “I will offer that fellow three thousand francs for a novel. I may have to pay more, but I’ll try three thousand to start with.” Next morning the bookseller started out to find Balzac. His quest took him into an obscure street in one of the oldest and poorest parts of the city. As he turned into the dingy thoroughfare he said to himself as he looked about: “Ah, indeed, he minw be a plebeian; I will offer him two thousand francs—no more.” Somewhat weary, the bookseller at length found the house; it was high, dingy, and not too clean. “Oho, I shall say fifteen hundred,” was his resolve, as he crossed the threshold. M. Balzac lived on the fourth floor, and as his visitor climbed the rickety stairs, “Aha, a thousand francs, not a sou more,” was his mental determination. But when he stepped into the shabby room and saw a young man dipping a penny roll into a glass of water, three hundred francs, just one-tenth the sum first intended, was the offer that sprang to his lips, and for this amonnt he received the manuscript of what was afterward considered a masterpiece.— Brooklyn Times.