manner of life, and I am forced to picture you, no longer amongst
the pretty things, which doubtless still surround you, but like
one of the beautiful heads of Raffaelle, Titian, Correggio or
Allori which, in their remoteness, seem to us like abstractions.
If this book succeeds in making its way across the Alps, it will
prove to you the lively gratitude and respectful friendship of
your humble servant,

"DE BALZAC."

LA PRINCESSE BAGRATION--LA COMTESSE BOSSI--MADAME KISSELEFF
--LA PRINCESSE DE SCHONBURG--MADAME JAROSLAS POTOCKA
--LA BARONNE DE PFAFFINS--LA COMTESSE DELPHINE POTOCKA

Several women whom Balzac knew, but who apparently had no special
influence over his life, are mentioned here; he evidently did not care
enough for them or did not know them well enough to include their
names in the dedicatory register of the _Comedie humaine_. This,
however, by no means exhausts the list of his acquaintances among
women. Many of them he had met through his intimacy with his "Polar
Star"; he was indeed so popular that he once exclaimed to her that he
was overwhelmed with Russian princesses and took to flight to avoid
them.

The noted salon of the charming Princesse Bagration, wife of the
Russian field-marshal, was open to the novelist early in his career.
With her aristocratic ease and the distinction of her manners, she had
been one of the most brilliant stars at Vienna where her salon, as at
Paris, was one of the most popular. Among her intimate friends was
Madame Hamelin whom she had known during her stay in Vienna.
Notwithstanding Balzac's careless habits of dress, he was welcome in
this salon, where the ladies enjoyed the stories which he told with
such charm, and at which he was always the first to laugh, though told
against himself.

As has been mentioned the Princess Bagration passed at Paris for the
model of Foedora. If M. Gabriel Ferry is correct, Balzac met the
Duchesse de Castries in the salon of the Princess Bagration before
their correspondence began, but never talked to her and did not
suppose that he had attracted her attention.

One of Balzac's acquaintances whom he met during his visit to Madame
Hanska at Geneva was the Countess Bossi. He met her again at Milan in
1838, on his return from his journey to Corsica, but he was not
favorably impressed with her, although he once deemed it wise to
explain to his _Chatel