fabre, poet of science-第1节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Fabre； Poet of Science
by DR。 G。…V。 LEGROS。
〃De fimo ad excelsa。〃
J。…H。 Fabre。
WITH A PREFACE BY JEAN…HENRI FABRE。
TRANSLATED BY BERNARD MIALL。
PREFACE。
The good friend who has so successfully terminated the task which he felt a
vocation to undertake thought it would be of advantage to complete it by
presenting to the reader a picture both of my life as a whole and of the
work which it has been given me to accomplish。
The better to accomplish his undertaking； he abstracted from my
correspondence； as well as from the long conversations which we have so
often enjoyed together； a great number of those memories of varying
importance which serve as landmarks in life； above all in a life like mine；
not exempt from many cares； yet not very fruitful in incidents or great
vicissitudes； since it has been passed very largely； in especial during the
last thirty years； in the most absolute retirement and the completest
silence。
Moreover； it was not unimportant to warn the public against the errors；
exaggerations； and legends which have collected about my person； and thus
to set all things in their true light。
In undertaking this task my devoted disciple has to some extent been able
to replace those 〃Memoirs〃 which he suggested that I should write； and
which only my bad health has prevented me from undertaking； for I feel that
henceforth I am done with wide horizons and 〃far…reaching thoughts。〃
And yet on reading now the old letters which he has exhumed from a mass of
old yellow papers； and which he has presented and co…ordinated with so
pious a care； it seems to me that in the depths of my being I can still
feel rising in me all the fever of my early years； all the enthusiasm of
long ago； and that I should still be no less ardent a worker were not the
weakness of my eyes and the failure of my strength to…day an insurmountable
obstacle。
Thoroughly grasping the fact that one cannot write a biography without
entering into the sphere of those ideas which alone make a life
interesting； he has revived around me that world which I have so long
contemplated； and summarized in a striking epitome； and as a strict
interpreter； my methods （which are； as will be seen； within the reach of
all）； my ideas； and the whole body of my works and discoveries； and despite
the obvious difficulty which such an attempt would appear to present； he
has succeeded most wonderfully in achieving the most lucid； complete； and
vital exposition of these matters that I could possibly have wished。
Jean…Henri Fabre。
Sérignan； Vaucluse；
November 12； 1911。
CONTENTS。
PREFACE。
INTRODUCTION。
CHAPTER 1。 THE INTUITION OF NATURE。
CHAPTER 2。 THE PRIMARY TEACHER。
CHAPTER 3。 CORSICA。
CHAPTER 4。 AT AVIGNON。
CHAPTER 5。 A GREAT TEACHER。
CHAPTER 6。 THE HERMITAGE。
CHAPTER 7。 THE INTERPRETATION OF NATURE。
CHAPTER 8。 THE MIRACLE OF INSTINCT。
CHAPTER 9。 EVOLUTION OR 〃TRANSFORMISM。〃
CHAPTER 10。 THE ANIMAL MIND。
CHAPTER 11。 HARMONIES AND DISCORDS。
CHAPTER 12。 THE TRANSLATION OF NATURE。
CHAPTER 13。 THE EPIC OF ANIMAL LIFE。
CHAPTER 14。 PARALLEL LIVES。
CHAPTER 15。 THE EVENINGS AT SéRIGNAN。
CHAPTER 16。 TWILIGHT。
NOTES。
INDEX。
INTRODUCTION。
Here I offer to the public the life of Jean…Henri Fabre； at once an
admiring commentary upon his work and an act of pious homage； such as ought
to be offered； while he lives； to the great naturalist who is even to…day
so little known。
Hitherto it was not easy to speak of Henri Fabre with exactitude。 An enemy
to all advertisement； he has so discreetly held himself withdrawn that one
might almost say that he has encouraged； by his silence； many doubtful or
unfounded rumours； which in course of time would become even more
incorrect。
For example； although quite recently his material situation was presented
in the gloomiest of lights； while it had really for some time ceased to be
precarious； it is none the less true that during his whole life he has had
to labour prodigiously in order to earn a little money to feed and rear his
family； to the great detriment of his scientific inquiries； and we cannot
but regret that he was not freed from all material cares at least twenty
years earlier than was the case。
But he was not one to speak of his troubles to the first comer； and it was
only after the sixth volume of the 〃Souvenirs entomologiques〃 had appeared
that his reserve was somewhat mitigated。 Yet it was necessary that he
should speak of these troubles； that he should tell everything； and； thanks
to his conversation and his letters； I have been able to revive the past。
Among the greatest of my pleasures I count the notable honour of having
known him； and intimately。 As an absorbed and attentive witness I was
present at the accomplishment of his last labours； I watched his last years
of work； so critical； so touching； so forsaken； before his ultimate
resurrection。 What fruitful and suggestive lessons I learned in his
company； as we paced the winding paths of his Harmas； or while I sat beside
him； at his patriarchal table； interrogating that memory of his； so rich in
remembrances that even the remotest events of his life were as near to him
as those that had only then befallen him； so that the majority of the
judgments to be found in this book； of which not a line has been written
without his approval； may be regarded as the direct emanation of his mind。
As far as possible I have allowed him to speak himself。 Has he not sketched
the finest pages of his 〃biography of a solitary student〃 in those racy
chapters of his 〃Souvenirs〃： those in which he has developed his genesis as
a naturalist and the history of the evolution of his ideas？
（Introduction/1。） In all cases I have only introduced such indications as
were essential to complete the sequence of events。 It would have been idle
to re…tell in the same terms what every one may read elsewhere； or to
repeat in different and less happy terms what Fabre himself has told so
well。
I have therefore applied myself more especially to filling the gaps which
he has left； by listening to his conversation； by appealing to his
memories； by questioning his contemporaries； by recording the impressions
of his sometime pupils。 I have endeavoured to assemble all these data； in
order to authenticate them； and have also gleaned many facts among his
manuscripts （Introduction/2。）； and have had recourse to all that portion of
his correspondence which fortunately fell into my hands。
This correspondence； to be truthful； does not appear at any time to have
been very assiduous。 Fabre； as we shall see in the story of his life
（Introduction/3。）； disliked writing letters； both in his studious youth and
during the later period of isolation and silence。
On the other hand； although he wrote but little； he never wrote with
difficulty or as a mere matter of duty。 Among all the letters which I have
succeeded in collecting there are scarcely any that are not of interest
from one point of view or another。 No frivolous narratives； no futile
acquaintances； no commonplace intimacies； everything in his life is
serious； and everything makes for a goal。
But we must set apart； as surpassing all others in interest； the letters
which Fabre addressed to his brother during the years spent as schoolmaster
at Carpentras or Ajaccio； for these are more especially instructive in
respect of the almost unknown years of his youth； these most of all reveal
his personality and are one of the finest illustrations that could be given
of his life； a true poem of energy and disinterested labour。
I have to thank M。 Frédéric Fabre； who； in his fraternal piety； has
generously placed all his family records at my disposal； and also his two
sons； my dear friends Antonin Fabre； councillor at the Court of N？mes； and
Henri Fabre； of Avignon； for these precious documents； and I take this
opportunity of expressing my profound gratitude。
Let me at the same time thank all those who have associated themselves with
my efforts by supplying me with letters in their possession and furnishing
me with personal information； and in particular Mme Henry Devillario； M。
Achard； and M。 J。 Belleudy； ex…prefect of Vaucluse； not forgetting M。 Louis
Charrasse； teacher at Beaumont…d'Orange； and M。 Vayssières； professor of
the Faculty of Sciences at Marseilles； all of whom I have to thank for
personal and intimate information。
I must also express my gratitude to M。 Henri Bergson； Professor Bouvier；
and the learned M。 Paul Marchal for the advice and the valuable suggestions
which they offered me during the preparation of this book。
I shall feel fully repaid for my pains if this 〃Life〃
