BALZAC (Honoré de). Un grand homme de province à Paris, Scène de la Vie de Province. Paris : Hippolyte Souverain, 1839. - 2 volumes in-8, 208 x 131 : 354 pp. and (1 f.), printed cover ; 354 pp. and (1 f.), printed cover. Brown half-maroquin with corners, gilt fillets, smooth spine decorated, gilt head, untrimmed, first cover preserved (L. Pouillet). Sought-after first edition of this novel which constitutes the second part of the trilogy which forms Les Illusions perdues. In this novel, several features are borrowed from Balzac's contemporaries. The press of the time recognized Jules Janin in the character of Étienne Lousteau and Lamartine served as a model for the character of M. Canalis. Moreover, several of the poems were given to the author by some of his friends, notably La Marguerite by Mme de Girardin or La Tulipe by Théophile Gautier. A very fine copy bound by Pouillet, in which the two first cover boards have been brought back. Covers damaged, that of the second volume is detached. Provenance: F.-M. Caye, with bookplate.