A. Prioult. Viscount Levenjoul, had acquired the originals of this novel by Balzac, which by fortune is found among the old papers and has served as base for the formation of a good study, where one can already observe the vocation of the young French writer.
Analyzing all those fragments, in whose margins are found numerous annotations, the Balzacian Prioult, has been able to follow the philosophical trajectory of H. de Balzac, when he was barely nineteen years of age. Through "Sténie," pass a series of notes where Descartes, Malebranche, Locke, Condillac are commented on and more than one citation to Leibniz, Kant, Fichte.
"Already, he interested himself in the natural Sciences, in physiology and even showed himself curious about occultism, mysticism, novelties of all genres," says Prioult.⁶ The same author makes us note the influence that Balzac received with the readings of Swedenborg, and of Saint Martin, when he composed "Sténie," his first novel.
The Preparation for Latouche
We want to remember that these readings Balzac made in Tours and, as we said, recommended by his mother. And this same book has to be inspired in Tours, because there he paints us scenes of the life of the province of Touraine. Now then, when Balzac went to Paris, where he could then know his great friend Henri de Latouche, who according to the Martinists, initiated the author of "Serafita," we should not forget that he brought already a great spiritual preparation.
Footnotes:
¹ Translation note: "I make you participant that Mr. de Saint Martin writes me that he should come to spend his winter quarters here, perhaps with the T∴P∴ Master de Grainville. I equally await the T∴P∴ Master de Balzac."
² Translation note: "Balzac, his life and his works"
³ Translation note: "My mother, very occupied with religious ideas, read then the mystics and had collected them; Honoré seized the works of Saint-Martin, of Swedenborg, of mademoiselle Bourignon, of madame Guyon, of Jacob Boehm, which form more than one hundred volumes and devoured them."
⁴ Translation note: "Perhaps she dedicated herself to the reading of such works, under the instigation of her husband, adept of that freemasonry of the XVIIIth century, which proposed to continue the failing Christianity, and included traces of illuminism and mysticism."
⁵ Translation note: "Honoré de Balzac, aged eight years and five months, has had smallpox, without infirmities; sanguine character, heating easily, is subject to some fevers of heat. Entered the boarding school June 22, 1807."
⁶ Translation note: "Already, he interested himself in the natural Sciences, in physiology and even showed himself curious about occultism, mysticism, novelties of all genres."
Document 48: Eyes of Mother - A Mystical Poem
Translation from "La Iniciación" Vol. 2 No. 15, July 1943
By Fátima, A∴M∴