An "Attic" Philosopher

Emile Souvestre (1806-1854) was a French novelist whose Un Philosophe sous les toils, which received a prize from l'Academie Francaise. An "Attic" Philosopher is the tale, in epistemological form, of one year in the life of a kindly, thoughtful, and somewhat impulsive young man, the clerk's experiences will inspire and delight you from January 1 to December 31 -- and provides an interesting portrait of life in Paris in the mid-Nineteenth century that contrasts with the acerbic, cynical vision of Balzac or the amoral world of Flaubert.