The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-28
The Insects Homer

When Alfred Russell Wallace died it was
everywhere said that the last great figure Of the
Victorian age had gone. But this was to over
look of the superior leaders Of that epoch
who still remains in active work after his ninety
years of existence; this is the French entomolo-
gist, John Henri Fabre.
Few life stories can compare in romance with
that of this grand old man who toiled in obscur-
ity for more than half century at pioneer work
through years when his attention was equally
divided with school teaching, with insect studies,
and how to keep from starving.
Born in the little community of Saint Leon,
and of very poor parents, he began life as a
teacher of physics and later became head Of a
small rural school the income from which was
never adequate to supply the needs of a family
larger than the birth rate of France would lead
one to expect.
At fifty-six, after decades of grinding perjury
and ceaseless toll his meagre savings augment
ed by temporary loan from John Stuart Mill, a
very warm friend and admirer enabled him to
purchase wee bit of place at Serignan where
he established in the midst of the barren wastes
of that district an nsectarium.
Here for thirty-two years and assisted by his
son Paul, he devoted himself to the patient thor
oughgoing study of insect life than which no
other form of nature study is more difficult. 1t
here he wrote the bulk of his now famous
volumes on entomology, portions of which have
been translated into English and published I'M
der the titles, Life and Love of the Insects, -
Life of the Fly" Life of the Spider" etc, at
least one of which is on the shelves of our local
public library.
During this long retreat he was visited by
Pasteur and assisted that savant in certain re-
searches which enabled him to make one of his
great discoveries concerning silk worm culture.
Darwin also made constant of him and
called him "the best and most accurate investi-
gator whom | know Maeterlinck got in touch
with him here and received the impulse and
much of the materials which resulted in that
marvellous book, perfect as literature as sci
ence, THE Life Of the Bee"
At last, after all the years of obscurity a
group of friends planned jubilee celebration in
1910 which resulted in lifting the wonderful old
man into the spotlight of fame, position which
he still holds, and deservedy
And now that he has caught the attention Of
the reading worlds, men are rushing for the
same volumes that through many years bid in
vain even for a small coterie of readers Thew
grow more and more enthusiastic over his work
and even warmer in his praise He is the
wisest man that has ever ived,' says one prom-
nent English scholar; He is the Worlds pre-
mier entomoogist," claims another. He is the
insects Homer wrote Maeterlinck to Prof.
Legros, and added:
He is one of the loftiest and purest geniuses
which the civilized world possesses; one of the
most learned naturalists and one of the most
marvellous of poets in the modern and truly legit-
innate sense of the wOrd''
You will find John Henri Fabre a delightful
companion and may make his acquaintanceship
any day at the public library.