LOST ILLUSIONS BY HONORE DE BALZAC PREPARER'S NOTE The trilogy known as Lost Illusions consists of: Two Poets A Distinguished Provincial at Paris Eve and David In many references parts one and three are combined under the title Lost Illusions and A Distinguished Provincial at Paris is given its individual title. Following this trilogy is a sequel, Scenes from a Courtesan's Life, which is set directly following the end of Eve and David. LOST ILLUSIONS INTRODUCTION The longest, without exception, of Balzac's books, and one which contains hardly any passage that is not very nearly of his best, _Illusions Perdues_ suffers, I think, a little in point of composition from the mixture of the Angouleme scenes of its first and third parts with the purely Parisian interest of _Un Grand Homme de Province_. It is hardly possible to exaggerate the gain in distinctness and lucidity of arrangement derived from putting _Les Deux Poetes_ and _Eve et David_ (a much better title than that which has been preferred in the _Edition Definitive_) together in one volume, and reserving the greatness and decadence of Lucien de Rubempre for another. It is distinctly awkward that this should be divided, as it is itself an enormous episode, a sort of Herodotean parenthesis, rather than an integral part of the story. And, as a matter of fact, it joins on much more to the _Splendeurs et Miseres des Courtisanes_ than to its actual companions. In fact, it is an instance of the somewhat haphazard and arbitrary way in which the actual division of the _Comedie_ has worked, that it should, dealing as it does wholly and solely with Parisian life, be put in the _Scenes de la Vie de Province_, and should be separated from its natural conclusion not merely as a matter of volumes, but as a matter of divisions. In making the arrangement, however, it is necessary to remember Balzac's own scheme, especially as the connection of the three parts in other ways is too close to permit the wrenching of them asunder altogether and finally. This caution given, all that is necessary can be done by devoting the first part of the introduction entirely to the first and third or Angouleme parts, and by consecrating the latter part to the egregious Lucien by himself.