The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1913-12-11
INSECT LOVER A
Great CHARACTER
Has Devoted Fifty Years TO
Study Of Little Beings.
ALSO A CHARMING WRITER.

oovsrsr Of New WerId-eooks Arouse
Interest Amens Famous Msn-Fer
Sake Of Science Hs Endured Many
Missriss---Will Have . Monument
Paris.--Jean Henri Fabre has been
called the Homer of the insect world
For ffty years he has studied insects
and their ways more closely and con-
tinuously perhaps than any other man.
Add to. this the fact that he Is a poet
as well as man of science. that he
writes with peculiar charm, and It will
be understood why his books about In
sects have aroused the enthusiasm Of
such men ~ Maurice Maeterlinck and
Frederic Mistinl.
They refer to him as the discoverer
Of a new world. He has been com.
pared to La Fontaine whose fables
give evidence OF his love for beasts.
Their writings show the same fresh
ness. simplicity and charm. Darwin
was struck by the patience and inge-
nulty exhibited by M. Fabre In pene-
trnting the secrets Of insects. and In
the "Origin of Species" he refers to
him as an inimitabIe observer.
An English translation Of NJ. Fabre's
book The Life OF Spider" has lately
been published. He was born In the
south Of France. was the son Of poor
parents. and his whole life has been
one Of uninterrupted labor.
As lad he taught himself to read mt
night by the light OF blazing pine
knot. In school he paid his tuition
fees by serving us n choir boy. He
won scholarship at the normal school
ut Avignon and became teacher.
anally rising to the grade OF professor.
IL was while he was attached to the
lycce ut Avianon that he came across
the chronological works Of Leon Du-
four. and thereafter the course OF his
life was changed. He saw how In
complete was tho state OF the science
Of entomology. and what he saw
opened TO him n magnificent held OF
study. Thereafter az soon as he was
able he gave up teaching. devoted him
self TO tho study Of insects and on
dured many miseries for the sake OF
science.
He went to live In a cottage with
rose tinted walls and green blinds at
the little village Of scrignan. on tho
road from Ornnge to valreas. For
years tho neighboring peasants knew
little OF him. Then one day they
learned that great scholar was dwell
ing among them. and now he is the
glory OF the village.
He has used Incredible patience and
/ ingenuity. guided by sympathy. In
studying insects. Observation and
study In the laboratory did not tell
him what he wanted TO know. II was
necessary for him to watch the free
insects In their natural environment
What he saw he described sympa-
thetically. POLITICALLY, vlvidly. His
writings interest the general reader as
much as the entomologist. He de-
scribed with equal care the industry
| OF the bee and. the wickedDess OF the
preying mantis. that fierce insect
which devours Its wives and charms
Its victims with what the entomoio-
gists call Its spectral pose.
Maeterlinck wrote OF him: "He de-
voted 10 the task OF surprising their
little secrets. which are the counter
part OF the greatest mysteries. hfty
years OF an existence solitary. mis-
understood; poor. often approaching
want. but illumined each day by the
Joy which is brought by truth. which
IL the human Joy above all others. Lit
tie truths. you will say. those which
are offered to Us by the ways. of a
spider or cricket. There are no
little truths. There exists but one, OF
which the mirror TO our uncertain eyes
seems broken, but each fragment Of IT,
whether II reflects the evolution OF a
star or the flight Of bee. contains
the supreme law"
NJ. Fabre is now ninety. Honors
have come to him. His fame Is wide
spread. He is no longer able TO pur-
sue his studies. He sits day after day
smoking his pipe In the dining room
Of his cottage.
Not long ago Frederic Mistral. the
famous octogenarlan poet OF Provence.
made an appeal In his behalf on the
ground that he was In a lamentable
condition OF undeserved poverty. This
NJ. Fabre denied. The French govern
ment granted the aged entshologist a
literary pension of $500 year. Later
still the Academy OF Sciences OF France
awarded him prize of the value Of
1000 francs. A minister OF state has
paid an official visit to him. and II
Is proposed to erect a statue In his
honor at Avignon.