fabre, poet of science-第36章
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that this day of apotheosis would never dawn！
For nothing was certain； although the day of the jubilee had long been
fixed。 In the first place there had been serious defections in the ranks of
the official personages who were to take part in the ceremony。 Then the
weather was terrible for the time of year； the spring had commenced
gloomily； a season of floods and catastrophes。 But on this morning the rain
of days had ceased to fall； and suddenly the sun appeared。
Among other compliments and marks of homage the old man was presented with
a golden plaque； on one side of which Sicard； who stood revealed as a
master of the burin； had engraved his portrait with rare fidelity。 The
reverse was resplendent with one of the most beautiful syntheses which the
history of art has known； a surprising allegory； in which the imagination
of the artist evoked the man of science； the singer of the insects； the
landscape which had seen the birth of so many little lives； and the village
amid the olive…trees； in front of the sun…steeped Ventoux。
At this festival； the jubilee of a scientist； the scientists were least
numerous。
The banquet was given in the large room of a cafe in the midst of Sérignan；
in order； no doubt； that in this humble life even glory should be modest。
As Fabre could not walk； he was helped into the carriage of ceremony； which
was sent expressly from Orange； and the little procession； which was
swelled by the municipal choral society； spurred on by Marius； moved slowly
off along the sole central street。
It was a great family repast： one of those love…feasts in which all
communicate in a single thought。
Edmond Perrier brought the naturalist the homage of the Institute； and
expressed in unaffected terms the just admiration which he himself felt。
The better to praise him； he gave a summary of his admirable career； and
his immortal work。 At the evocation of this long past of labour Fabre
regretted his poor vanished joys； 〃the sole moments of happiness in his
life。〃
Moved to tears； by his memories and by the simple and pious homage at last
rendered to his genius； he wept； and many； seeing him weep； wept with him。
Others spoke in the name of the great anonymous crowd of friends； of all
those who had found a source of infinite enjoyment in his works。 At the
same time the greatest writers； the greatest poets sent on the same day； at
the same hour； their salutation or eloquent messages to the 〃Virgil of the
insects〃 （16/21。）； to the 〃good magician who knew the language of the
myriad little creatures of the fields。〃 （16/22。）
Doubtless he would sooner or later have received full justice； but without
this circumstance it is permissible to add that the end of his life would
have passed amidst the completest oblivion； and that he would have taken
leave of the world without attracting any particular attention。 His death
would have occurred unperceived； and when the little vault of Vaison stone；
up in the small square enclosure of pebbles which serves as the village
cemetery； where those he has loved await him； came to be opened for the
last time； they would hardly have troubled to close it again。
Yet the honours paid him were far from being such as he merited。
Why； at this jubilee of the greatest of the entomologists； was not a single
appointed representative of entomology present？ （16/22。）
The fact is that the majority of those who 〃amid the living seek only for
corpses；〃 according to the expression of Bacon； unwilling to see in Fabre
anything more than an imaginative writer； and being themselves incapable of
understanding the beautiful and of distinguishing it in the true；
reproached him； perhaps with more jealousy than conviction； with having
introduced literature into the domains of science。
Other entomological specialists accuse him of presenting in the guise of
science discoveries which have been made by others。 But in the first place；
as he has read very little； he certainly did not know all that had been
done by others； and what matter if he had discovered nothing essential
concerning this or that insect if the result of his study of it has been to
impregnate it with something new； or to touch it with the breath of life？
Others； finally； who wished to see with their own eyes the proof of his
statements； have reproached him with a few errors； but he observed so
skilfully that these errors； if any have really slipped into his books；
cannot be very serious。
He was one of the glories of the University； but it failed to add to the
brilliance of this ceremony； and it is to be regretted that the Government
could not amid its temporary preoccupations have done with all the
spontaneity that might have been looked for the one thing which might on
this memorable date have atoned for its unjust obliviousness。 Since Duruy
had created Fabre a chevalier of the Empire more than forty years had gone
by； and in this long interval Fabre was absolutely ignored by the
authorities。 While the State daily raises so many commonplace men to the
highest honours； it was afterwards needful to procure the intervention of
influential persons； to justify his worth and to prove his deserts； in
order to obtain his promotion through one degree of rank in that Legion of
Honour which his eminent services had so long adorned。
This tardy reparation at least had the result of shedding a twilight of
glory over the evening of his life； and from that day he suddenly appeared
in his true place and took his rank as a man of the first order。 Everybody
began to read him； and presently no one was willing to seem ignorant of
him； for more of his 〃Souvenirs entomologiques〃 were sold in a few months
than had been disposed of in more than twenty years。 （16/24。）
At last Fabre experienced not only glory and renown； but also popularity。
This was only justice； for his is essentially a popular genius。 Has he not
striven all his life to place the marvels of science within reach of all？
And has he not written above all for the children of the people？
So at last people have learned the way to the Harmas； they go thither now
in crowds； to visit the enclosure and the modest laboratory； as to a
veritable place of pilgrimage which attracts from afar many fervent
admirers。
Some； it is true； go thither to see him simply as an object of curiosity；
but even among these there are those who on returning thence； full of
enthusiasm for what they have seen； find the flowers of the fields more
sweet and fragile； and the wild fragrance of the woods and hedges more
voluptuous； and the green of the trees more tender。 They have learnt to
look at the earth and to 〃kneel in the grass。〃
Scientists come to chat with the scientist。 Others come to salute the
primary schoolman； the lay instructor； the great pedagogue whose glory is
reflected upon all the primary schools of France。
Those who cannot visit him write； telling him of all the pleasure which
they owe him； thanking him for long and delightful hours passed in the
reading of his books； expressing the hope that he may yet live many years；
and still further increase the number of his 〃Souvenirs。〃
Some ask him a host of questions relating to entomology or philosophy；
others ask him for impossible answers to some of the fascinating and
mysterious problems which he has expounded； women confide in him their
little private griefs or their intimate sorrows； a naive form of homage；
but a thousand times more touching than any other； and one that shows how
profound has been the beneficent influence of his books upon certain
isolated minds； and what consolation can be derived from science when it
finds a sufficiently eloquent voice to interpret it。
As he can work no longer； these visits now fill his life； formally so
occupied； and in the midst of all the sympathy extended to him he is
sensible； not of the twilight； but of a sunrise； he feels that his work has
been good； that an infinity of minds are learning through him to regard
plants and animals with greater affection； and that the consideration of
men； finally directed upon his work； will not readily exhaust it； for it is
one of the Bibles of Nature。
NOTES。
NOTES TO INTRODUCTION。
Introduction/1。 Letters to his brother； 1898…1900。
Introduction/2。 I have made some valuable 〃finds〃 here； among other pieces
cited the fragment on 〃Playthings；〃 the curious description of the
〃Eclipse；〃 and the poem on 〃Number〃 are here published for the first time。
Introduction/3。 This negligence in the matter of correspondence is not
least among the causes which have mitigated against his popularity。
NOTES TO CHAPTER 1。
1/1。 〃It is a country that has very little charm。〃 To his brother； 18th
August； 1846。
1/2。 〃Practicien； homme d'affaires ou de chicane〃： roughly； 〃practitioner；
man of business or law〃： so his father is described in his birth
certificate。
1/3。 〃Souvenirs entomologiques；〃 2nd series； chapter 4； and 7th series；
chapter 19。
1/4。 Id。； 8th series； chapter 8。
1/5。 To his brother； 15th August； 1896。
1/6。 Id。 〃As brothers； we are one only； but in virtue of our different
tastes we are two； and I am amused and interested where you might well be
bored。〃
1/7。 Frédéric Fabre； like his brother； an ex…scholar of the normal primary
school of Vaucluse； was first of all teacher at Lapalud （Vaucluse）； then
professor in the communal college of Orange。 He was director of the primary
school attached to the normal school of Avignon； where he voluntarily
retired from teaching in 1859。 He then became； successively； secretary to
the Chamber of Commerce of Avignon； director of the Vaucluse Docks； and
finally director of the Crillon Canal； which position he still occupies
（December； 1912）。
1/8。 〃Souvenirs entomologiques；〃 10th series； chapter 9。
1/9。 Among his innumerable manuscripts I have found a vast number of little
poems； which date from this period。
1/10。 It was then that he gave up his position to his brother Frédéric； who
had continually followed closely in his steps； and who in turn had just
obtained the qualification of pupil…teacher and bursar （August； 1842）。
1/11。 〃Souvenirs entomologiques；〃 10 series； chapter 21。
1/12。 To his brother； 2nd and 9th of June； 1851。
NOTES TO CHAPTER 2。
2/1。 〃Souvenirs entomologiques；〃 1st series； chapter 20； and 9th series；
chapter 13。
2/2。 Id。； 6th series； chapter 21。
2/3。 To his brother； from Ajaccio； 10th June； 1850。
2/4。 Id。； id。
2/5。 Id。； from Carpentras； 15th August； 1846。
2/6。 Id。； from Ajaccio； 10th June； 1850。
2/7。 Id。； from Carpentras； 15th August； 1846。
2/8。 Id。； id。
2/9。 〃Souvenirs entomologiques；〃 1st series； chapter 14。
2/10。 To his brother； from Carpentras； 3rd September； 1848。
2/11。
