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coming and going of 〃the chamberlains with short breeches and silver…
buckled shoes； great scarabaei； clad with café au lait wing…cases； moving
with a formal gait。〃 Already he sighed regretfully； he was bored； he was on
the rack； and for nothing in the world would he have repeated the
experience。 He did not even feel the least desire to visit the vaunted
collections of the Museum。 He longed to return； to find himself once more
among his dear insects； to see his grey olive…trees； full of the frolicsome
cicadae； his wastes and commons； which smelt so sweet of thyme and cypress；
above all； to return to his furnace and retorts； in order to complete his
discovery as quickly as possible。
But others profited by his happy conceptions。 Like the cicada； the Cigale
of his fable （See 〃Social Life in the Insect World；〃 by Jean…Henri Fabre
（T。 Fisher Unwin； 1912）。）； which makes a 〃honeyed reek〃 flow from
〃the bark
Tender and juicy； of the bough；〃
on which it is quickly supplanted by
〃Fly； drone； wasp； beetle too with hornèd head〃 （4/24。）；
who
〃Now lick their honey'd lips； and feed at leisure；〃
so； after he had painfully laboured for twelve years in his well； he saw
others； more cunning than he； come to his perch； who by dint of 〃stamping
on his toe；〃 succeeded in ousting him。 Pending the appearance of artificial
alizarine； which was presently to turn the whole madder industry upside
down； these more sophisticated persons were able to benefit at leisure by
the ingenious processes discovered by Fabre； so that the practical result
of so much assiduity； so much patient research； was absolutely nil； and he
found himself as poor as ever。
So faded his dream： and； if we except his domestic griefs； this was
certainly the deepest and cruellest disappointment he had ever experienced。
Thenceforth he saw his salvation only in the writing of textbooks； which
were at last to throw open the door of freedom。 Already he had set to work；
under the powerful stimulus of Duruy； preoccupied as he always was by his
incessant desire for freedom。 The first rudiments of his 〃Agricultural
Chemistry；〃 which sounded so fresh a note in the matter of teaching； had
given an instance and a measure of his capabilities。
But he did not seriously devote himself to this project until after the
industrial failure and the distressing miscarriage of his madder process；
and not until he had been previously assured of the co…operation of Charles
Delagrave； a young publisher； whose fortunate intervention contributed in
no small degree to his deliverance。 Confident in his vast powers of work；
and divining his incomparable talent as POPULARIZER； Delagrave felt that he
could promise Fabre that he would never leave him without work； and this
promise was all the more comforting； in that the University； despite his
twenty…eight years of assiduous service； would not accord him the smallest
pension。
Victor Duruy was the great restorer of education in France； from elementary
and primary education； which should date； from his great ministry； the era
of its deliverance； to the secondary education which he himself created in
every part。 He was also the real initiator of secular instruction in
France； and the Third Republic has done little but resume his work； develop
his ideas； and extend his programme。 Finally； by instituting classes for
adults； the evening classes which enabled workmen； peasants； bourgeois； and
young women to fill the gaps in their education； he gave reality to the
generous and fruitful idea that it is possible for all to divide life into
two parts； one having for its object our material needs and our daily
bread； and the other consecrated to the spiritual life and the delights of
the Ideal。
At the same time he emancipated the young women of France； formerly under
the exclusive tutelage of the clergy； and opened to them for the first time
the golden gates of knowledge； an audacious innovation； and formidable
withal； for it shrewdly touched the interests of the Church； struck a blow
at her ever…increasing influence； and clashed with her consecrated
privileges and age…long prejudices。 （4/25。）
At Avignon Fabre was instructed to give his personal services。 He gave them
with all his heart； and it was then that he undertook； in the ancient Abbey
of Saint…Martial； those famous free lectures which have remained celebrated
in the memory of that generation。 There； under the ancient Gothic vault；
among the pupils of the primary Normal College； an eager crowd of listeners
pressed to hear him； and among the most assiduous was Roumanille； the
friend of Mistral； he who so exquisitely wove into his harmonies 〃the
laughter of young maidens and the flowers of springtime。〃 No one expounded
a fact better than Fabre； no one explained it so fully and so clearly。 No
one could teach as he did； in a fashion so simple； so animated； so
picturesque； and by methods so original。
He was indeed convinced that even in early childhood it was possible for
both boys and girls to learn and to love many subjects which had hitherto
never been proposed； and in particular that Natural History which to him
was a book in which all the world might read； but that university methods
had reduced it to a tedious and useless study in which the letter 〃killed
the life。〃
He knew the secret of communicating his conviction； his profound faith； to
his hearers： that sacred fire which animated him； that passion for all the
creatures of nature。
These lectures took place in the evening； twice a week； alternately with
the municipal lectures； to which Fabre brought no less application and
ardour。 In the intention of those who instituted them these latter were
above all to be practical and scientific； dealing with science applied to
agriculture； the arts； and industry。
But might he not also expect auditors of another quality； in love only with
the ideal； 〃who； without troubling about the possible applications of
scientific theory； desired above all to be initiated into the action of the
forces which rule nature； and thereby to open to their minds more wondrous
horizons〃？
Such were the noble scruples which troubled his conscience； and which
appeared in the letter which he addressed to the administration of the
city； when he was entrusted by the latter with what he regarded as a lofty
and most important mission。
〃。。。Is it to be understood that every purely scientific aspect； incapable
of immediate application； is to be rigorously banished from these lessons？
Is it to be understood that； confined to an impassable circle； the value of
every truth must be reckoned at so much per hundred； and that I must
silently pass over all that aims only at satisfying a laudable desire of
knowledge？ No； gentlemen； for then these lectures would lack a very
essential thing： the spirit which gives life！〃 （4/26。）
Physically； according to the testimony of his contemporari