02184cam a22003133u 45000010005000000030007000050050017000120060002000290070005000310080041000360400011000770410017000880500007001051000036001122450017001482640051001653000047002163360026002633370026002893380036003155000031003515080058003825201208004405340045016486530042016936530048017357000045017838560042018281453UtSlPG20260610133045.0mcr n260607r2004||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPQ1 aBalzac, Honoré de,d1799-185014aThe Alkahest 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2004  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2004-06-01  aProduced by John Bickers, and Dagny, and David Widger  a"The Alkahest" by Honoré de Balzac is a novel written in the early 19th century. The story delves into themes of obsession, the pursuit of knowledge, and the impact of one's ambitions on family life, centered around the lives of Balthazar Claes and his wife, Josephine. It explores Claes' relentless quest for the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical substance said to turn base metals into gold, which consumes him and gradually creates strife within his household.  At the start of the narrative, the reader is introduced to the House of Claes in Douai, a residence infused with rich Flemish history. The opening elaborates on the architectural significance of the house and the Claes family's esteemed past, weaving in a poignant portrait of their lives. As Balthazar becomes increasingly absorbed in his scientific endeavors, neglecting his family and responsibilities, his wife Josephine grapples with feelings of despair and concern for her children’s future. Their once-happy marriage begins to fray as Balthazar's obsession leads them down a path of potential ruin, establishing a dichotomy between ambition and familial duty that pervades the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aPhilosophical anthropology -- Fiction  aFrench fiction -- Translations into English1 aWormeley, Katharine Prescott,d1830-190840uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1453