The Last Heights 



clergy," x to remove them from, or to dis- 

 pute, the influence of the Church. The 

 scientist, enamoured of the beauty of natural 

 history, saw in this venture merely an oppor- 

 tunity for diffusing the knowledge and appre- 

 ciation of his science among the people. Ac- 

 cordingly he opened a course of evening 

 lectures in the old Abbey of Saint-Martial. 

 And in the crowd that flocked eagerly to hear 

 him beneath the vaulted roof of the old dis- 

 affected church were squads of young girls, 

 more numerous at every lecture, enchanted by 

 the magic of his teaching, by its lucidity and 

 vitality. Who could object to such a suc- 

 cess? Yet there were those who objected. 

 A perfect cross-fire of criticism and complaint 

 arose from the Church and the University. 

 Fabre replied fearlessly, not without a touch 

 of offended pride. The quarrel became 

 embittered. Some went so far as to denounce 

 him publicly and to point out, from the van- 

 tage of the pulpit, the dangers of his teach- 

 ing. Shortly afterwards the municipality 

 dismissed him from his office as conservator 

 of the Musee Requien, without regard to his 

 family responsibilities, which were then con- 

 siderable. 



When he visited Fabre in 19 14 Monseig- 



1 E. Lavisse, quoted by Dr. Legros, op. cit., p. 81. 



371 



