#Balzactogether
tmw starts week 14 of
#balzactogether
October 30, 2026 at 11:03 AM
I also loved this fresh look at Lucien through the eyes of another writer.
#balzactogether
D'Artez's portrait of Lucien is a masterpiece. I could quote it in full. He writes honestly, with perspicacity and sympathy. "Lucien might do anything, good or bad. That, in a word, is what we think of him." He felt compelled to tell Eve, "for your letter was a cry from the heart." #balzactogether
October 31, 2026 at 12:24 AM
and of a former confidante- Lucien breaks hearts in his pursuit of fame & fortune. #Balzactogether #D'Arthes
October 31, 2026 at 4:47 PM
This gentle reader has suffered enough- love to never hear of Lucien again. Hope Balzac leaves him on that farm!! #Balzactogether
October 31, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Eve, watching his face, saw the sublime belief in success which sustains the inventor, the belief that gives him courage to go forth into the virgin forests of the country of Discovery;
#BalzacTogether

Lost Illusions
November 3, 2026 at 4:38 PM
I'm really enjoying the printers/paper/ink historical details in the novel.
#Balzactogether
Four inks of different colors required four separate impressions. ...costs so much to produce that it is printed only in provincial printing-houses...too expensive to be worth producing by printers of fine work.

512 P3 Lost Illusions #Balzactogether Shepherd's

www.princeton.edu/~graphicarts...
Shepherds' Almanac - Graphic Arts
www.princeton.edu
October 31, 2026 at 12:23 AM
“there is nothing about which people are more ignorant than what they ought to know: the workings of the law!”

Hence, the free public lecture.

#balzactogether
November 1, 2026 at 5:41 PM
...how many atrocities are concealed behind that terrible word .

536 P3 Lost Illusions #Balzactogether Legality can also protect, at the discrimination of the judge, a human being with biases supposedly set aside.
November 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM
„C'est une fortune, s'écria Petit-Claud …
— … car il faudra, dans dix ans d'ici, dix fois plus de papier qu’il ne s’en consomme aujourd’hui. Le journalisme sera la folie de notre temps!“

#BalzacTogether
November 3, 2026 at 3:51 PM
All of Ch12 ‘Your house is on fire’
Day 95, Nov 3, Tues - p534 “‘My friend,’ said the unfortunate printer…” to p539 “It was a moment of delight…”
#balzactogether
November 3, 2026 at 11:04 AM
„La chute d'un grand homme est toujours en raison de la hauteur à laquelle il est parvenu.”

#BalzacTogether
ILLUSIONS PERDUES

LES SOUFFRANCES DE L’INVENTEUR
October 30, 2026 at 2:38 PM
The question then is has Lucien suffered enough?
Can one find the capacity to suffer even more?
This French novel has turned Russian!
#BalzacTogether
It is hard for noble natures to think evil, to believe in ingratitude; only through rough experience do they learn the extent of human corruption;
#BalzacTogether

Lost Illusions

(Applies to our reading of Othello as well)
October 31, 2026 at 12:22 AM
All of Ch10 A free public lecture on dishonoured bills…
Day 93, Nov 1, Sun - p522 “The day after this colloquy…” to p529 “On May the fourth Métivier received…”
#balzactogether
November 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM
All of Ch11 Lucien under distraint
Day 94, Nov 2, Mon - SHORT DAY p529 “A few days later Eve received…” to p533 “Explain our position and ask him what we should do.”
#balzactogether
November 2, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Merci!
Here are pages for Modern Library / K. Raine
#Balzactogether Lost Illusions
October 30, 2026 at 10:54 PM
“He’s the fellow I need!”

“The more a man hates, the greater the efforts he will make.”

“That rascal will go far”

Did Balzac have a crystal ball?

#balzactogether
October 31, 2026 at 9:05 PM
"He therefore becomes a gas-bag..."
I am enjoying this comparison of Parisian lawyers versus provincial lawyers.
I presume 'nibblings' are akin to ambulance-chasing.

#Balzactogether
October 31, 2026 at 1:19 PM
„L'amour grandissant que lui inspirait le caractère de David, de mieux en mieux connu, prenait dans son cœur la place de l'affection fraternelle. Mais à combien d'illusions ne disait-elle pas adieu?...“

#BalzacTogether
ILLUSIONS PERDUES

LES SOUFFRANCES DE L’INVENTEUR
November 2, 2026 at 6:57 PM
„Le Compte de Retour est acquis le soir même du protêt. Ceci, dans le langage de la banque de province, s'appelle: ‚faire suer les écus’.”

#BalzacTogether
ILLUSIONS PERDUES
LES SOUFFRANCES DE L’INVENTEUR

L'argent est vivant. 🌱🪴🍂
November 1, 2026 at 1:38 PM
“The growing love inspired in her by David’s character, which she was coming to know better and better, was taking the place of brotherly affection in her heart. But…to how many illusions was she not saying good-bye?”
#balzactogether
November 2, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Yeah, this is where I started to fear the worst for Lucien. And then today, him contemplating suicide in his letter.
#balzactogether
And now a duel? With Chrestien? Lucien has never held a foil or fired a pistol. I'm not sure things can get much worse. #balzactogether
October 31, 2026 at 12:19 AM
"In short, thoughts do not turn a man's head so completely as words. By the force of his own eloquence a man comes to believe what he says, whereas one may act against one's convictions without altering them..." Hmm. Interesting observation. #balzactogether
November 2, 2026 at 2:29 AM
This town is full of paper manufacturers--and every paper manufacturer is a potential enemy! You remind me of an otter surrounded by the hunt--don't let them get under your skin!

P3 Lost Illusions #Balzactogether Company towns. And otters are tenacious hunters apparently--just watched a BBC video.
November 3, 2026 at 2:53 PM
„Petit-Claud comptait encore plus sur lui-même, car il ne manquait pas d'une certaine supériorité, rare en province, mais dont le principe était dans sa haine. Grande haine, grands efforts.“

#BalzacTogether
ILLUSIONS PERDUES

LES SOUFFRANCES DE L’INVENTEUR
October 31, 2026 at 4:18 PM
"An actress sees too many actors taking the parts of bailiffs in light comedies to take legal documents seriously." Ha.

"Eve, who knew little about commercial law, had been supposing that Lucien had atoned for his crime by paying off the forged bills."

If only.

#balzactogether
November 2, 2026 at 1:31 PM