Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-11-13

Has DGvOjG1 fIily Years 10
Study Of Lille Beings.
ALSO A CHARMING WRITER,


covercr of New Word-5ooks Arouse
Interest Among Famous Men, or
Sake Of Science He Endured Many
Miseries-Wil Have a Monument
paris.-Jean Henri Fahre has been
called the Homer of the insect world.
For fifty 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 Il poet
as we'll rs Il 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 us Maurice Muctcrinck and
Frederic MiStral
They refer to him rs the diSroverer
of new world He has been com
pared to La Fontaiuc, whose fables
give evidence of his love for beasts.
Their writings show the same fresh
ness. simplicity and charm. Darwin
was struck 10y the patience and inge-
nuity exhibited by NJ Fabrc i'll penc-
trating the secrets of insects. and in
the origin of Species" he refers 10
him as an inimitable observer.
An English translation of Nj. Fahre's
book The Life OF Il 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 ut
night 10y the light of n blazing pine
knot, In school he paid his tuition
fees by serving as Il choir hoy. He
won Il scholarship ut the normal school
at Avignon and became a teacher,
finally rising to the grade OF professor,
1t was while he was attached to the
lycee at Avignon 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 the state of the science
of entomology. and what he saw
opened to him Il magnificent field of
study. Thereafter as soon rs he was
able he gave up teaching. devoted him
self to the study of insects and en-
dured many miSeries for the sake of
science.
He went to live in Il cottage With
rose tinted walls and green blinds at
the little village of Scrignan, ON the
road from Orange to Nalreas, For
years the ncighboring peasants knew
little of him. Then one day they
learned that Il 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 1t was
necessary for him to watch the free
insects in their natural environment
What he saw he described sympa
thcticaliy. poctically. wildly His
writings interest the general reader MS
much as the entomologist. He de
scribed with equal care the industry
of the bee and the WickcdncSS OF the
proving mantis. that fierce insect
which dcvours its wives and charms
its victims with what the cntomoIo
%iStS call its spectral pose
Maetcrlinck wrote of him: Gle de
voted to the task of surprising their
little secrets. which are tie counter
part of the greatest mysteries. fifty
years of an existence solitary. mi,
understood; poor, often approaching
want, but illumincd each day by the
JOY which is brought by q truth. which
Is the human joy above all others TT
tie truths, You will say, those which
are offered to us by the ways of
spider or cricket There are no
little truths. There exists but one. rf
which the mirror to our uncertain eyes
seems broken but each fragment Of IT,
whether it reflects the evolution Of IT
star or the flight Of II bee. confirms
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 ths
famous octogenarian poet of Provence
made an appeal in his behalf on tn,
ground that he was in lamentablr
condition Of undeServed poverty. Til.
NJ. Fabre denied, The French govern
ment granted the aged eutomoiogist b
literary pension Of $500 a year Later
still the Academy Of Sciences of France
awarded him prize Of the value Of
1000 francs A minister ~ state ha-
PAID an Official visit 10 him. and
IS proposed TO erect statue in biz
honor at AvignOn