A slight confusion may arise in the use of the _Repertory_ on account of the subdivision of titles. This is the fault neither of Messieurs Cerfberr and Christophe nor of the translator, but of Balzac himself, who was continually changing titles, dividing and subdividing stories, and revamping and working other changes in his books. _Cousin Betty_ and _Cousin Pons_ were placed together by him under the general title of _Poor Relations_. Being separate stories, we have retained the separate titles. Similarly, the three divisions of _Lost Illusions_ were never published together until 1843--in the first complete edition of the _Comedie_; before assuming final shape its parts had received several different titles. In the present text the editor has deemed it best to retain two of the parts under _Lost Illusions_, while the third, which presents a separate Rubempre episode, is given as _A Distinguished Provincial at Paris_. The three parts of _The Thirteen_--_Ferragus_, _The Duchess of Langeais_, and _The Girl with the Golden Eyes_--are given under the general title. The fourth part of _Scenes from a Courtesan's Life_, _Vautrin's Last Avatar_, which until the Edition Definitive had been published separately, is here merged into its final place. But the three parts of _The Celibates_ --_Pierrette_, _The Vicar of Tours_ and _A Bachelor's Establishment_, being detached, are given separately. Other minor instances occur, but should be readily cleared up by reference to the Indices, also to the General Introduction given elsewhere. In the preparation of this English text, great care has been exercised to gain accuracy--a quality not found in other versions now extant. In one or two instances, errors have been discovered in the original French, notably in dates--probably typographical errors--which have been corrected by means of foot-notes. A few unimportant elisions have been made for the sake of brevity and coherence. Many difficulties confront the translator in the preparation of material of this nature, involving names, dates and titles. Opportunities are constantly afforded for error, and the work must necessarily be painstaking in order to be successful. We desire here to express appreciation for the valuable assistance of Mr. Norman Hinsdale Pitman. To Balzac, more than to any other author, a Repertory of characters is applicable; for he it was who not only created an entire human society, but placed therein a multitude of personages so real, so distinct with vitality, that biographies of them seem no more than simple justice. We can do no more, then, than follow the advice of Balzac--to quote again from the original title-page--and "give a parallel to the civil register." J. WALKER McSPADDEN INTRODUCTION