The Peasants is a novel written by Honore De Balzac in 1899. The story revolves around the life of a young man named Balthazar Claes, who belongs to a wealthy family of industrialists in Flanders. Balthazar is an intelligent and talented scientist who is obsessed with alchemy and spends most of his time in his laboratory trying to discover the philosopher's stone.However, his obsession with alchemy causes him to neglect his family and business, leading to a decline in their fortunes. His wife, Marguerite, tries to intervene and save the family from ruin, but Balthazar's obsession with alchemy only grows stronger.Meanwhile, their daughter, Felicite, falls in love with a young lawyer named Monsieur de Wierzchownia, who is a distant relative of the family. However, their love is thwarted by Balthazar's obsession with alchemy and his refusal to accept Monsieur de Wierzchownia as a suitable match for his daughter.The novel explores themes of obsession, family, love, and the pursuit of knowledge. It also provides a vivid portrayal of life in Flanders during the 19th century, with its rich culture and traditions.Overall, The Peasants is a captivating novel that offers a glimpse into the complexities of human nature and the consequences of pursuing one's passions at the expense of everything else.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.