The famous French writer Hugo praised Fabre as "the Homer of the insect world" and the "Virgil" of the insect world.
Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre (1823-1915), a famous French entomologist, animal behaviorist, litterateur, and insect scientist. It is known as the "Homer of the insect world (it is said that Homer is the author of two famous epics in ancient Greece, "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey")" and the "Virgil" of the insect world.
Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre (1823~1915) died at the age of 92. He was a famous French entomologist, animal behaviorist, and writer. He is known as "Homer of the insect world" and "Virgil of the insect world" by the world. Fabre was born in a farming family in Saint-Leon, Provence, southern France.
For the next few years, Fabre spent time at his grandparents' home in Maraval, not far from the village. At that time, he was already attracted by lovely insects such as butterflies and fireflies in the countryside.
In 1857, he published "Observations on the Habits of the Arthroplasty". This paper corrected the erroneous views of Léon Dufour, the founder of entomology at the time, and won him the honor of the French Academy. He was awarded the Experimental Physiology Prize. During this period, Fabre also devoted his energy to the research of the natural dye madder or alizarin. The red color on the French soldiers' trousers at that time came from the powder of madder.
In 1859, Fabre obtained three patents for such research. Later, Fabre was invited by Victor Druid, the Minister of Education of the Republic of Korea, to be responsible for the organization and teaching of an adult night school, but his free teaching methods caused dissatisfaction among some people. So he quit his job and settled down with his family in Orange, where they stayed for more than ten years. During these more than ten years, Fabre completed the first volume of the ten-volume "Insects".
During this period, he and his friends went to Wandu Mountain many times to collect plant specimens. In addition, he also got acquainted with the British philosopher Mill, but Mill died young, so that the plan they had previously planned, the "Vaucluse Vegetation Grand View," was aborted. At the same time, a great misfortune befell Fabre: he had six children. Among them, the only son Jules, who had the same interests as his father and loved observing nature, passed away at the age of sixteen.
After that, Fabre dedicated several plants he discovered to Jules, who died young, to express his memory. The study of fungi has always been one of Fabre's hobbies.
In 1878, he wrote many wonderful academic articles on the subject of fungi in Vaucluse. He also studied the wild rice in great detail and described its aroma in detail. Gourmets claim that they can taste all the flavors he described from real wild rice.
In 1879, Fabre bought the deserted stone garden in Selignan and lived there until his death. This is a barren and barren land, but it is a land loved by insects. In addition to being a place for his family to live, it also has his study room, studio and experimental field, where he can quietly concentrate on thinking and devote himself wholeheartedly to his work. Through various observations and experiments, it can be said that this is the world he has always dreamed of.
It was here that Fabre, while conducting observations and experiments, compiled observation notes, experimental records and scientific notes from his first half of his life studying insects, and completed the last nine volumes of "Insects". Today, this former residence has become a museum, quietly located in the botanical garden with a rich Provence style.
Fabre persisted in self-study for half his life, and successively obtained a bachelor's degree in business, a bachelor's degree in mathematics, a bachelor's degree in natural sciences, and a doctorate in natural sciences. He was proficient in Latin and Greek and loved the ancient Roman writer Horace and the poet Works of Virgil. He was also almost self-taught in painting and watercolor, and left many exquisite illustrations of fungi that were praised by Nobel Prize winner and French poet Frederic Mistral.
In Fabre's later years, the success of "Insects" won him the reputation of "Homer of the Insects" and "Virgil of the Insects", and his achievements were widely recognized by society. . Although Fabre received many scientific titles, he remained as simple as ever, shy and humble, and lived a life of poverty.
His talent was admired by literati and scholars at the time, including the British biologist Darwin, the 1911 Nobel Prize winner for literature - Belgian playwright Maeterlinck, the German writer Junger, the French philosopher Bergson, poet Mallarmé, Provence writer Roumanier, etc.
Because "Insects" accurately recorded Fabre's experiments and revealed many secrets about insect life and living habits, Darwin called Fabre an "inimitable observer." When he lived in Selignan, many scholars and writers came to visit him. Fabre received scholars such as Pasteur and the British philosopher Mill in his residence, but his correspondence with them was not frequent.
Victor Druid, Minister of Education of the Republic of China, recommended Fabre to Napoleon III, who awarded him the Order of Honor. French politician Raymond Poincaré was passing through Selignan and made a special detour to pay his respects to the Stone Park.
Fabre, who had multiple identities, wrote a wide variety of works: as a naturalist, he left many academic treatises on plants and animals, including "Fine Grasses: Patents and Papers", "Animals of Avignon" ", "Gooseberry", "Toadstools on the Olive Tree", "Phylloxera", etc.; as a teacher, he has written many chemical physics textbooks; as a poet, he has written many works in Provence in southern France. Poetry is affectionately called the "Gadfly Poet" by the locals.
In addition, he also translated the works of some Provence poets into French; in his spare time, he also used his small harmonica to compose some ditties. However, the longest, most important, and most well-known of Fabre's works is still "Insects". This work not only demonstrates his talents in scientific observation and research and literary talent, but also conveys his humanistic spirit and incomparable love for life to readers.
Extended information
Main works
"Souvenirs Entomologiques" is also known as "Insect World", "Insect Story", "Entomological Notes" or "Entomology Notes" "The Story of Insects" is a long biological work written by French entomologist and litterateur Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre, consisting of ten volumes. The first volume was first published in 1879, and the entire book in 1907.
This work is a work on insect biology that summarizes the types, characteristics, habits and marriage habits of insects. It records the real life of insects and expresses the spirituality shown by insects in their struggle for survival. It also records Fabre’s motivations, life ambitions, knowledge background, living conditions, etc. for his obsession with insect research.
The author integrates the colorful life of insects with his own life insights, and looks at insects with human nature. The author's respect and love for life are revealed in every word.
The process of writing the book
When Fabre was 31 years old, he obtained a doctorate in natural sciences. During this period, he successively created a series of biological works such as "Plants" and "Uncle Paul Talks about Pests". Study works. In 1854, Fabre published his "Observations on the Arthroplasty" in France's "Annals of Natural Sciences".
Three years later, he published research results on the metamorphosis of elytra insects. His academic quality and theoretical significance impressed his peers. In 1879, the first volume of "Insects", which he compiled from more than 20 years of data, was finally published.
In 1880, Fabre used the money he saved to buy an old house. He gave the residence an elegant name in the local Proven?al language - Barren Stone Garden. Year after year, Fabre wore a farmer's duffle coat, dug with a pickaxe and a flat shovel, and a paradise for insects was built. He wrote the fruits of his labor into volumes of "Insects". It was not until 1907 that the tenth volume of "Insects" came out.
Theme of the work
Huanghuang's 10-volume book "Insects", with its magnificent and rich connotations, arouses people's profound reflection on all things, human beings and science popularization. The author integrates the colorful life of insects with his own life insights, and looks at insects with human nature. Through detailed and profound descriptions of the external forms and biological habits of various insects, it records the lives of various insects and their struggles for survival and reproduction of the species, which not only expresses the author's love and respect for life and nature, but also spreads the message Scientific knowledge reflects the author's meticulous observation and tireless scientific exploration spirit.
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