Note.—­This volume ("Les Petits Bourgeois”) was not published until 1854, more than three years after Balzac’s death; although he says of it in March, 1844:  “I must tell you that my work entitled ‘Les Petits Bourgeois,’ owing to difficulties of execution, requires still a month’s labor, although the book is entirely written.”  And again, in October, 1846, he says:  “It is to such scruples” (care in perfecting his work) “that delays which have injured several of my works are due; for instance, ’Les Paysans,’ which has long been nearly finished, and ’Les Petits Bourgeois,’ which has been in type at the printing office for the last eighteen months.”

ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.

Barbet
  A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
  A Man of Business
  The Seamy Side of History
  The Middle Classes

Baudoyer, Isidore
  The Government Clerks
  The Middle Classes
  Cousin Pons

Beaumesnil, Mademoiselle
  The Middle Classes
  Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
  A Second Home

Bianchon, Horace
  Father Goriot
  The Atheist’s Mass
  Cesar Birotteau
  The Commission in Lunacy
  Lost Illusions
  A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
  A Bachelor’s Establishment
  The Secrets of a Princess
  The Government Clerks
  Pierrette
  A Study of Woman
  Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
  Honorine
  The Seamy Side of History
  The Magic Skin
  A Second Home
  A Prince of Bohemia
  Letters of Two Brides
  The Muse of the Department
  The Imaginary Mistress
  The Middle Classes
  Cousin Betty
  The Country Parson
In addition, M. Bianchon narrated the following: 
  Another Study of Woman
  La Grande Breteche

Bousquier, Du (or Du Croisier or Du Bourguier)
  Jealousies of a Country Town
  The Middle Classes

Brisetout, Heloise
  Cousin Betty
  Cousin Pons
  The Middle Classes

Bruel, Jean Francois du
  A Bachelor’s Establishment
  The Government Clerks
  A Start in Life
  A Prince of Bohemia
  The Middle Classes
  A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
  A Daughter of Eve

Bruel, Claudine Chaffaroux, Madame du
  A Bachelor’s Establishment
  A Prince of Bohemia
  A Distinguished Provincial at Paris
  Letters of Two Brides
  The Middle Classes

Bruno
  Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
  The Middle Classes

Cardot (Parisian notary)
  The Muse of the Department
  A Man of Business
  Jealousies of a Country Town
  Pierre Grassou
  The Middle Classes
  Cousin Pons

Cerizet
  Lost Illusions
  A Man of Business
  Scenes from a Courtesan’s Life
  The Middle Classes

Chaffaroux
  Cesar Birotteau
  A Prince of Bohemia
  The Middle Classes