In the preparation of my Introduction I have, of course, relied for
information on the recognized Biographies of Zola, namely _Notes d’un
Ami_, by Paul Alexis (Paris, Charpentier); _Emile Zola, A biographical
and Critical Study_, by R. H. Sherrard (London, Chatto & Windus, 1893);
_Emile Zola, Novelist and Reformer_: An account of his Life and Work,
by Ernest Alfred Vizetelly (London, John Lane, 1904). Reference has also
been made to Mr. Arthur Symons’ _Studies in Prose and Verse_, and
to articles in the _Fortnightly Review_ by Mr. Andrew Lang, in the
_Atlantic Monthly_ by Mr. Henry James, and in the _Contemporary
Review_ by M. Edouard Rod, as well as to articles in the _Encyclopaedia
Britannica_ and in the _Dictionnaire Universel des Contemporains_.
By kind permission of Messrs. Chatto & Windus it has been possible to
include the diagram of the Rougon-Macquart Genealogical Tree, which
appears in the Preface to their edition of _Doctor Pascal_, and to
make use of their translations in the preparation of the Dictionary.
In compiling the latter, Zola’s own words have been adopted so far as
possible, though usually they have required such condensation as to make
direct quotation difficult. This difficulty was increased by the fact
that occasional use was made of different translations of the same book,
and that frequent references to the original were found necessary.
The Synopses of the Plots of the novels are arranged in the order in
which the books should be read, as indicated by their Author in _Le
Docteur Pascal_, and confirmed by his biographer, Mr. E. A. Vizetelly.
EDINBURGH, May, 1912. J. G. P.