fabre, poet of science-第15章
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to rectify their errors themselves; and from all this he obtained excellent
material for his books。
For those more especially intended for the education of girls he took
counsel with his daughter Antonia; inviting her collaboration; begging her
to suggest every aspect of the matter that occurred to her; for instance;
in respect of the chemistry of the household; 〃where exact science should
shed its light upon a host of facts relating to domestic economy〃 (5/8。);
from the washing of clothes to the making of a stew。
Even now; to his despair; although freed from the cares of school life; he
was always almost wholly without leisure to devote himself to his chosen
subjects。
It was at this period above all that he felt so 〃lonely; abandoned;
struggling against misfortune; and before one can philosophize one has to
live。〃 (5/9。)
And his incessant labour was aggravated by a bitter disappointment。 In the
year of Mill's death Fabre was dismissed from his post as conservator of
the Requien Museum; which he had held in spite of his departure from
Avignon; going thither regularly twice a week to acquit himself of his
duties。 The municipality; working in the dark; suddenly dismissed him
without explanation。 To Fabre this dismissal was infinitely bitter; 〃a
sweeper…boy would have been treated with as much ceremony。〃 (5/10。) What
afflicted him most was not the undeserved slight of the dismissal; but his
unspeakable regret at quitting those beloved vegetable collections;
〃amassed with such love〃 by Requien; who was his friend and master; and by
Mill and himself; and the thought that he would henceforth perhaps be
unable to save these precious but perishable things from oblivion; or
terminate the botanical geography of Vaucluse; on which he had been thirty
years at work!
For this reason; when there was some talk of establishing an agronomic
station at Avignon; and of appointing him director; he was at first warmly
in favour of the idea。 (5/11。) Already he foresaw a host of fascinating
experiments; of the highest practical value; conducted in the peace and
leisure and security of a fixed appointment。 It is indeed probable that in
so vast a field he would have demonstrated many valuable truths; fruitful
in practical results; he was certainly meant for such a task; and he would
have performed it with genuine personal satisfaction。 He had already
exerted his ingenuity by trying to develop; among the children of the
countryside; a taste for agriculture; which he rightly considered the
logical complement of the primary school; and which is based upon all the
sciences which he himself had studied; probed; taught; and popularized。
It will be remembered how patiently he devoted himself for twelve years to
the study of madder; multiplying his researches; and applying himself not
only to extracting the colouring principle; but also to indicating means
whereby adulteration and fraud might be detected。
He had published memoirs of great importance dealing with entomology in its
relations to agriculture。 Impressed with the importance of this little
world; he suggested valuable remedies; means of preservation; which were
all the more logical in that the destruction of insects; if it is to be
efficacious; must be based not upon a gross empiricism; but on a previous
study of their social life and their habits。
With what patience he observed the terribly destructive weevils; and those
formidable moths with downy wings; which fly without sound of a night; and
whose depredations have often been valued at millions of francs! How
meticulously he has recorded the conditions which favour or check the
development of those parasitic fungi whose mortal blemishes are seen on
buds and flowers; on the green shoots and clusters that promise a
prosperous vintage!
But then he became anxious。 Was it all worth the sacrifice of his liberty?
〃Would he not suffer a thousand annoyances from pretentious nobodies?〃 for
as things were; all ideas of again 〃enregimenting〃 himself 〃filled him with
horror。〃 (5/12。)
Slowly; however; the first instalment of the work which he had spent nearly
twenty…five years in planning; creating; and polishing; began to take
shape。 At the end of the year 1878 he was able to assemble a sufficient
number of studies to form material for what was to be the first volume of
his 〃Souvenirs entomologiques。〃 (A selection of which forms 〃Social Life in
the Insect World〃 (T。 Fisher Unwin; 1912)。)
Let us stop for a moment to consider this first book; whose publication
constitutes a truly historical date; not only in the career of Fabre; but
in the annals of universal science。 It was at once the foundation and the
keystone of the marvellous edifice which we shall watch unfolding and
increasing; but to which the future was in reality to add nothing
essential。 The cardinal ideas as to instinct and evolution; the necessity
of experimenting in the psychology of animals; and the harmonic laws of the
conservation of the individual; are here already expounded in their final
and definite form。 This fruitful and decisive year brought Fabre a great
grief。 He lost his son Jules; that one of all his children whom he seems
most ardently to have loved。
He was a youth of great promise; 〃all fire; all flame〃; of a serious
nature; an exquisite being; of a precocious intelligence; whose rare
aptitudes both for science and literature were truly extraordinary。 Such
too was the subtlety of his senses that by handling no matter what plant;
with his eyes closed; he could recognize and define it merely by the sense
of touch。 This delightful companion of his father's studies had scarcely
passed his fifteenth year when death removed him。 A terrible void was left
in his heart; which was never filled。 Thirty years later the least allusion
to this child; however tactful; which recalled this dear memory to his
mind; would still wring his heart; and his whole body would be shaken by
his sobs。 As always; work was his refuge and consolation; but this terrible
blow shattered his health; until then so robust。 In the midst of this
disastrous winter he fell seriously ill。 He was stricken with pneumonia;
which all but carried him off; and every one gave him up for lost。 However;
he recovered; and issued from his convalescence as though regenerated; and
with strength renewed he attacked the next stage of his labours。
But what are the most fruitful resolutions; and what poor playthings are we
in the hands of the unexpected! A vulgar incident of every…day life had
sufficed to make Fabre decide to break openly with the University; and to
leave Avignon。 The secret motive of his departure from Orange was scarcely
more solid。 His new landlord concluded one day; either from cupidity or
stupidity; to lop most ferociously the two magnificent rows of plane…trees
which formed a shady avenue before his house; in which the birds piped and
warbled in the spring; and the cicadae chorused in the summer。 Fabre could
not endure this massacre; this barbarous mutilation; this crime against
nature。 Hungry for peace and quiet; the enjoyment of a dwelling…place could
no longer content him; at all costs he must own his own home。
So; having won the modest ransom of his deliverance; he waited no longer;
but quitted the cities for ever; retiring to Sérignan; to the peaceful
obscurity of a tiny hamlet; and this quiet corner of the earth had
henceforth all his heart and soul in keeping。
CHAPTER 6。 THE HERMITAGE。
Goethe has somewhere written: Whosoever would understand the poet and his
work should visit the poet's country。
Let us; then; the latest of many; make the pilgrimage which all those who
are fascinated by the enigma of nature will accomplish later; with the same
piety that has led so many and so fervent admirers to the dwelling of
Mistral at Maillane。
Starting from Orange and crossing the Aygues; a torrent whose muddy