BALZAC (Honoré de). Les Ressources de Quinola, a comedy in five acts, in prose, preceded by a prologue. Paris, Souverain, 1842. In-8, red half-chagrin with corners, spine decorated with cold caissons, gilt numeral on tail, not neglected (Binding of the period). First edition of this comedy by Balzac, first performed at the Odéon theatre on 19 March 1842. This play, which Balzac conceived in the tradition of "Le Misanthrope et [de] Figaro", was a complete failure, which "constituted Balzac's great theatrical disillusionment", writes Laélia Véron in Le Théâtre de Balzac. "Admittedly, all his theatrical setbacks were cruel to him, but Balzac felt that Les Ressources de Quinola should enable him not only to establish a reputation as a playwright at last, after the misfortunes of Vautrin, but also to build up a financial independence that would allow him personal freedom, and in particular the freedom to travel to join Madame Hanska...". A precious copy given by Balzac to P.-J. Hetzel with this autograph signed letter on the false title: to Mon cher Hetzel / de Balzac. Pierre-Jules Hetzel (1814-1886) was one of the publishers of the Comédie humaine in 1842-1848, having bought out Charles Furne's shares to form a partnership with Alexandre Houssiaux, so that it was thanks to him that the famous "Furne et Houssiaux" edition could continue to be published, in association with Dubochet and Paulin. Hetzel also published Peines de cœur d'une chatte anglaise and Paris marié by Balzac. A publisher, translator and author under the pseudonym P.-J. Stahl, Hetzel is best known for publishing the works of Jules Verne in his famous Bibliothèque d'éducation et de récréation. A very fine copy bound for Pierre-Jules Hetzel, with his gilt figure at the tail. From the libraries of Henri Dirkx (1981, No. 80), with bookplate, and Colonel Daniel Sickles (1989, II, No. 258).