Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-13

Homer" Homer, If we mistake not, was a
poet-a poet of both the homely and the
heroic. So Fabre sings us the Had of the
insect world world unlike ours and so
strange, says Maeterlinck, lone would think
that 1t was born of some comet that had
lost its course and died mad in space"
If Maeterlincks publicity work for this
scientist and poet of little village of Prov
ence did much to spread the name of Henri
Fabre service had already been rendered
in the opposite direction for to Fabre the
younger man owed a great deal. At least
it is certain that Maeternck was inspired
to write his Life of the Bee" by his talks
with Fabre. With this book ranks the lat
ter's Life of the Spider" To the few Fabre
was known many years before his popular
fame. Darwin called him ''the incompatible
observer" For the scientific accuracy of
his investigations and writings was as
marked as the grace and delightfulness of
his literary style.
The Boy His Own Teacher
How he came by his love of learning, Of
literature, of nature, of science Fabre him
self never knew He was born OF very poor
peasant stock Few of his intimate forebears
could even write their own names. His
father at one time lad a little farm, but
neglected it and finally went to keeping an
humble cafe in small village after an
other. Heredity is hard put to 1t TO account
for Henri Fabre. He was born at st. Icons,
in Veins. and was Provencal only by his
later adoption. He received nothing but the
most haphazard education in the rustic
schools which he attended as a tiny boy
Mainly by his own initiative and effort he
learned to read He learned also a little
arithmetic. A year or two later he obtained
free instruction In a secondary school, in
return for his services as an acolyte in
church. but principally he taught himself
Finally he secured a position as teacher Of
mathematics in the College of Ajaccio.
Fabre was endowed with a positive lust for
work During his 20 years assistant pro-
fessor Of mathematics at Avignon he es-
capped on Sundays and holidays into the
country to prosecute his observations on in
sects in the open air. His genius became
recognized. He was sought out by such men
as Victor Duruy and Pasteur. He corre-
sponded with Darwin, and made a number Of
experiments for the English scientist. He
was dragged TO Paris, much against his WILL
presented 10 the Emperor Napoleon III and
decorated with the Legion of Honor.
Nevertheless. he lost his Job His trans
lator. Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, tells the
story as follows: There is no doubt that
Fabre is a supremely Christian philosopher
and that his quarrels with the evolutionists
are due In no small measure to his belief
that they are prone TO leave the win of God
out OF their reckoning. Now the irony Of
fate brought about that Fabre himself be-
cause he talked 10 his pupils OF the beasts
and the flowers and the stars and all the
wonders OF nature became looked upon. by
the narrow-minded inhabitants OF the pro-
vincial town where he resided as a danger
ouS and Irregular person. 1t also happened
that at this time he had lost his protector.
nuruy, who had himself fallen Victim 70 the
persistent attacks OF his obscurantist adver-
saries. The opportunity was seized to form
local cabal against Fabre; and his enemies
made tools Of two maiden ladies, pair Of
elderly spinsters who owned tho house In