fabre, poet of science-第34章

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presently　dies　of　weariness；　of　the　Chalicodoma；　so　eager　a　worker　that　she

will　〃let　herself　be　crushed　under　the　feet　of　the　passer…by　rather　than

abandon　her　task。〃



Ask　it　of　all　nature；　which　knows　neither　halt　nor　repose；　and　who；

according　to　the　profound　saying　of　Goethe　〃has　pronounced　her　malediction

upon　all　that　retards　or　suspends　her　progress。〃



Let　us　then　labour；　men　and　beasts；　〃so　that　we　may　sleep　in　peace；　grubs

and　caterpillars　in　that　torpor　which　prepares　them　for　the　transformation

into　moths　and　butterflies；　and　ourselves　in　the　supreme　slumber　which

dissolves　life　in　order　to　renew　it。〃



Let　us　work；　in　order　to　nourish　within　ourselves　that　divine　intuition

thanks　to　which　we　leave　our　original　impress　upon　nature；　let　us　work；　in

order　to　bring　our　humble　contribution　to　the　general　harmony　of　things；　by

our　painful　and　meritorious　labour；　in　order　that　we　may　associate

ourselves　with　God；　share　in　His　creation；　and　embellish　and　adorn　the

earth　and　fill　it　with　wonders。　（16/4。）



Forward　then！　always　erect；　even　amid　the　tombs；　to　forget　our　griefs。

Fabre　finds　no　better　consolation　to　offer　his　brother；　who　has　lost　almost

in　succession　his　wife　and　his　eldest　daughter：　



〃Do　not　take　it　ill　if　I　have　not　condoled　with　you　on　the　subject　of　your

recent　losses。　Tried　so　often　by　the　bitterness　of　domestic　grief；　I　know

too　well　the　inanity　of　such　consolations　to　offer　the　like　to　my　friends。

Time　alone　does　a　little　cicatrize　such　wounds；　and；　let　us　add；　work。　Let

us　keep　on　our　feet　and　at　work　as　long　as　we　are　able。　I　know　no　better

tonic。〃　（16/5。）



And　this　exhortation　to　work；　which　recurs　so　often　in　the　first　letters　of

his　youth；　was　to　be　the　last　word　of　the　last　volume　which　so　splendidly

terminates　the　incomparable　series　of　his　〃Souvenirs〃：　〃Laboremus。〃



。。。



Age　has　killed　neither　his　courage　nor　his　energies；　and　he　continues　to

work　with　the　same　zeal　at　nearly　ninety　years　of　age；　and　with　as　much

eagerness　as　though　he　were　destined　to　live　for　ever。



Although　his　physical　forces　are　failing　him；　although　his　limbs　falter；

his　brain　remains　intact；　and　is　giving　us　its　last　fruit　in　his　studies　on

the　Cabbage　caterpillar　and　the　Glow…worm；　which　mark　a　sudden

rejuvenescence　of　thought　on　his　part；　and　the　commencement　of　a　new　cycle

of　studies；　which　promise　to　be　of　the　greatest　originality。



To　him　the　animal　world　has　always　been　full　of　dizzy　surprises；　and　the

insects　led　him　〃into　a　new　and　barely　suspected　region；　which　is　ALMOST

ABSURD。〃　（16/6。）



The　glow…worms；　motionless　on　their　twigs　of　thyme；　light　their　lamps　of　an

evening；　in　the　cool　of　the　beautiful　summer　nights。　What　do　these　fires

signify？　How　explain　the　mystery　of　this　phosphorescence？　Why　this　slow

combustion；　〃this　species　of　respiration；　more　active　than　in　the　ordinary

state〃？　and　what　is　the　oxidizable　substance　〃which　gives　this　white　and

gentle　luminosity〃？　Is　it　a　flame　of　love　like　that　which　lights　the　Agaric

of　the　olive…tree　〃to　celebrate　its　nuptials　and　the　emission　of　its

spores〃？　But　what　reason　can　the　larva　have　for　illuminating　itself？　Why　is

the　egg；　already　enclosed　in　the　secrecy　of　the　ovaries；　already　luminous？



〃The　soft　light　of　the　Agaric　has　confounded　our　ideas　of　optics；　it　does

not　refract；　it　does　not　form　an　image　when　passed　through　a　lens；　it　does

not　affect　ordinary　photographic　plates。〃　（16/7。）



But　here　are　other　miracles：　



〃Another　fungus；　the　Clathrix；　with　no　trace　of　phosphorescence；　affects

photographic　plates　almost　as　quickly　as　would　a　ray　of　sunlight。　The

Clathrix　tenebrosa　does　what　the　Agaricus　olearius　has　no　power　to　do。〃

（16/8。）



And　if　the　beacon　of　the　Glow…worm　recalls　the　light　of　the　Agaric；　the

Clathrix　reminds　us　of　another　insect；　the　Greater　Peacock　moth。



In　the　obscurity　of　a　dark　chamber　this　splendid　moth　emits　phantasmal

radiations；　perhaps　intermittent　and　reserved　for　the　season　of　nuptials；

signals　invisible　to　us；　and　perceptible　only　to　those　children　of　the

night；　who　may　have　found　this　means　to　communicate　one　with　another；　to

call　one　another　in　the　darkness；　and　to　speak　with　one　another。　（16/9。）



Such　are　the　interesting　subjects　which　only　yesterday　were　occupying　this

great　worker；　the　occult　properties；　the　radiant　energies　of　organic

matter；　of　phosphorescence；　of　light；　the　living　symbols　of　the　great

universal　Eros。



But　embarrassment　long　ago　succeeded　the　ephemeral　prosperity　which　marked

the　first　years　of　his　installation　at　Sérignan；　and　that　period　of　plenty

was　followed　by　a　period　of　difficulty；　almost　of　indigence。　His　class…

books；　which　had　succeeded　marvellously；　and　from　which　the　royalties　had

quickly　attained　to　nearly　640　pounds　sterling；　which　was　the　average

figure　for　nearly　ten　years；　were　then　no　longer　in　vogue。　Already　the

times　had　changed。　France　was　in　the　crisis　of　the　anti…clerical　fever。

Fabre　made　frequent　allusions　in　his　books　of　a　spiritual　nature；　and　many

primary　inspectors　could　not　forgive　what　they　regarded　as　a　blemish。



We　must　also　mention　the　keen　competition　caused　by　the　appearance　of

similar　books；　usually　counterfeit；　and　the　more　harmful　for　that；　and　as

their　adoption　depended　entirely　on　the　caprice　of　commissions　or　the

choice　of　interested　persons；　those　of　Fabre　were　gradually　ceasing　to

sell。



It　was　from　1894　especially　that　their　popularity　declined　so　rapidly：　



〃Despite　all　my　efforts　here　I　am　more　anxious　than　ever　about　the　future；〃

he　wrote　to　his　publisher　on　the　27th　of　January；　1899；　〃two　more　of　my

books　are　about　to　disappear；　a　prelude　to　total　shipwreck。。。I　begin　to

despair。〃　（16/10。）



He　was　not　the　man　to　have　saved　much　money；　numerous　charges　were　always

imposing　themselves　on　him；　and　his　first　wife；　careless　of　expenditure；

had　been　somewhat　extravagant。



While　his　position　as　teacher　deteriorated　his　〃Souvenirs〃　brought　him

little　more　than　a　nominal　profit；　for　to　most　people　he　was　still

completely　unknown　among　the　potentates　who　monopolize　the　attention　of　the

crowd。



〃Work　such　as　a　Réaumur　might　be　proud　of　will　leave　me　a　beggar；　that　goes

without　saying；　but　at　least　I　shall　have　left　my　grain　of　sand。　I　would

long　ago　have　given　up　in　despair；　had　I　not；　to　give　me　courage；　the

continual　research　after　truth　in　the　little　world　whose　historian　I　have

become。　I　am　hoarding　ideas；　and　I　make　shift　to　live　as　I　can。〃　（16/11。）



Yet　his　reputation　had　long　ago　crossed　the　frontiers　of　his　country。　He

had　been　a　corresponding　member　of　the　Institute　of　France　since　1887；　and

a　Petit　d'Ormoy　prizeman。　（16/12。）　He　was　a　member　of　the　most　celebrated

foreign　academies；　and　the　entomological　societies　of　the　chief　capitals　of

Europe；　but　his　fame　had　not　passed　the　walls　of　these　academies　and　the

narrow　boundaries　of　the　little　world　of　professional　biologists　and

philosophers。



Even　in　these　circles；　where　he　was　almost　exclusively　read　and

appreciated；　he　was　little　known；　and　although　he　was　much　admired；

although　he　was　readily　given　credit　for　his　admirable　talent　and

exceptional　knowledge；　his　readers　were　far　from　realizing　the　real　powers

of　this　world　of　life　which　he　has　called　into　being。　His　books　are　of

those　whose　fertilizing　virtues　remain　long　hidden；　to　shine　only　at　a

distance；　when　much　frothy　writing；　that　has　made　a　sudden　noise　in　its

time；　has　fallen　into　oblivion。



Every　two　or　three　years；　after　much　fond　polishing；　he　would　open　the　door

to　yet　another　volume　which　was　ready　to　go　forth；　adding　astonishing

chapters　of　the　history　of　insects；　wonderful　fragments　of　animal

psychology；　but　always　obtaining　only　the　same　circumscribed　success；　that

is；　exciting　no　public　curiosity；　and　remaining　unperceived　in　the　midst　of

general　indifference。



His　books　interested　only　a　select　class；　who；　it　is　true；　welcomed　them

eagerly；　and　read　them　with　wonder　and　delight。　If　they　excited　the

curiosity　of　a　few　philosophers；　of　scientists　and　inquirers；　and　here　and

there　determined　a　vocation；　still　more；　perhaps；　did　they　charm　writers

and　poets；　they　consoled　Rostand　at　the　end　of　a　serious　illness；　their

virtue；　in　some　sort　healing；　procuring　him　both　moral　repose　and　a

delightful　relaxation。　（16/13。）　For　all　these；　we　may　say；　he　has　been　one

of　those　ten　or　twelve　authors　whom　one　would　wish　to　take　with　one　into　a

long　exile；　were　they　reduced　to　choosing　no　more　before　leaving

civilization　for　ever。



Yet　we　must　admit　that　this　work　has　certain　undeniable　faults。　The　title；

in　the　first　place；　has　nothing　alluring　about　it；　and　is　calculated　to

deter　rather　than　to　attract　purchasers；　by　evoking　vague　ideas　of

repulsive　studies；　too　arduous　or　too　special。



People　have　no　idea　of　the　wonderful　fairyland　concealed　by　this　unpopular

title；　no　conception　that　these　records　are　intended；　not　merely　for　the

scientist　pure　and　simple；　but　in　reality　for　every　one。



Moreover；　the　first　few　volumes　were　in　no　way　seductive。　They　boasted　not

the　most　elementary　drawings　to　help　the　reader；　not　the　slightest　woodcut

to　give　a　direct　idea　of　the　insects　described；　of　their　shape；　aspect；　or

physiognomy；　and　a　simple　sketch；　however　poor；　is　often　worth　more　than

long　and　laborious　descriptions。　The　first　volumes　especially；　printed

economically；　at　the　least　possible　expense；　were　not　outwardly　attractive。



It　is　also　true　that　he　had　never　founded　any　great　hopes　on　the　sale　of

such　works。



Very　few　people　are　really　interested　in　the　lower　animals；　and　Fabre　has

been　reproached　with　wasting　his　time　over　〃childish　histories；　unworthy　of

serious　attention　and　unlikely　to　make　money；〃　of　wasting　in　frivolous

occupations　the　time　which　is　passing　so　quickly　and　can　never　return。　And

why　should　he　have　still　further　wasted　so　many　precious　hours　in　executing

minute　drawings　whose　reproduction　would　have　involved　an　expenditure　which

his　publisher　would　not　dare　to　venture　upon；　and　which　he　himself　could

not　afford？



For　this　universal　inquirer　was　well　fitted　for　such　a　task；　and　all　these

creatures　which　he　had　depicted　he　is　capable　of　representing　with　brush

and　pencil　as　faithfully　as　with　his　pen。　He　had　it　in　him　to　be　not　only　a

writer；　but　an　excellent　draughtsman；　and　even　a　great　painter。　He　has

reproduced　in　water…colour；　with　loving　care；　the　decorations　of　the

specimens　of　prehistoric　pottery　which　his　excavations　have　revealed；　and

which　he　has　endeavoured　to　reconstruct；　with　all　the　science　of　an

archaeologist。　He　has　displayed　the　same　skill　in　water…colour　in　that

astonishing　iconography；　in　which　he　has　detailed；　with　marvellous

accuracy；　all　the　peculiarities　of　the　mycological　flora　of　the　olive…

growing　districts。　（16/14。）



As　for　those　〃paltry　figure