The Life of Jean Henri Fabre 



In his favourite domain of the natural sci- 

 ences, as in that of the other sciences, the 

 practical tendency of his teaching was by 

 preference directed toward agricultural ap- 

 plications, as is shown by the very titles of 

 many of his books: Elements usuels des sci- 

 ences physiques ct naturelles, avec applica- 

 tions a I'hygiene et a I' agriculture — he hivre 

 des Champs — Les Auxiliaires — Les Rava- 

 geurs — Arithmetique agricole — Chimie agri- 

 cole: indeed it was with the last volume that 

 he inaugurated his series of initiatory text- 

 books. For the use of young girls and fu- 

 ture housewives, he published books on he 

 Menage, Hygiene and Economie domes- 

 tique. 



And all these little books are presented 

 in a picturesque and attractive form. The 

 very titles have nothing austere about them: 

 Entretien de I'oncle Paul avec ses neveux 

 sur les chose s d' agriculture — Chimie de 

 I'oncle Paul. There is also The hivre de 

 Maitre Paul, the Histoire des Betes, the 

 hecons des choses, the hivre d'Histoires 

 and the hivre des Champs. Under different 

 titles the other volumes evoke, like these, 

 a sort of family atmosphere; they display 

 the same concrete style of narrative and the 

 same lifelike charm of dialogue. 



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