Example of a Novel of Customs

He describes the life and customs of the peoples. Balzac's genius, in The Human Comedy, illustrates the novel of customs. Let's write down a few lines: "In Paris there are always two soirées at balls or at worldly parties. First an official soirée attended by the invited people, a big world that gets bored. Each one of them adopts a studied position before the neighbor. Most of the young women do not come for more than one person. When each woman has been convinced that she is the most beautiful for that person, and when such an opinion could have been shared by some more, after having changed insignificant phrases, like these: "Do you intend to go this year? soon to... (the name of a possession)? "" The lady of such has sung bion! "" Who is that little woman who wears so many diamonds? ", or after having launched epigrammatic phrases, which cause ephemeral pleasure and lasting wounds, the groups spread, the indifferent leave, the candles continue to burn in their washers, and then the mistress of the house retains some artists, happy people, friends, telling them:

"Stay, let's have a private dinner."
They meet in a little room. And that's when the real soirée takes place: soirée in which, as under the old regime, everyone hears what it is said, the conversation is general, and everyone is forced to show their ingenuity and contribute to the public entertainment. There everything is in sight, and a frank laugh follows the repressed attitudes that, in society, overshadow the most beautiful faces. In a word, pleasure begins where the party ends. The feast of the great world, cold luxury magazine and parade of self-esteem in gala dress, is one of those English invitations that They tend towards the mechanization of the other nations. England seems to be interested in making the whole world bored as she is and as much as her.
This second soirée is, then, in France and in some houses, a fortunate protest of the ancient spirit of our happy country; but, unfortunately, few houses exercise such a protest, and the reason is very simple. If there are no longer many dinners celebrated today, it is because there have never been, under any regime, a smaller number of people than in the current one, settled, settled and situated. Everyone is on the march to some end, or gallops after fortune. Time has become the most expensive commodity, and no one can therefore indulge in the prodigious lavishness of flying home the next day to wake up late. Thus, there is no second soirée except in the home of women rich enough to have a living room; and, from the revolution of 1830, these women are counted in Paris. "(Cf. Complementary bibliography, N9 6)