SEES IN THE OLDEN TIME. 33 



Huber was born at Geneva, in 1750. At an early- 

 age, when little more than a boy, his eyesight greatly 

 failed, and he was told the sad truth that in a little 

 while he would for ever lose the precious gift. Like 

 a man of true courage, he did not, however, lose heart, 

 but determined with himself that, although in dark- 

 ness, he would try to live and act, as far as possible, 

 as if he could see. It was a noble resolve, and had its 

 reward. 



In his early boyhood he was fond of natural history ; 

 and having, after blindness came on, been led by the 

 writings and conversation of a friend to take an 

 interest in bees, he set himself with all the zeal and 

 energy of his nature to study them for himself, and, 

 from that time forward, devoted himself, almost en- 

 tirely, to examine into some of the most difficult ques- 

 tions connected with their habits and natural history. 



The story of his observations, discoveries, and 

 various ingenious experiments, is most interesting, 

 and you will do well to obtain his biography, and 

 read it. Much, however, that he did would have 

 been impossible had it not been for an excellent and 

 devoted wife, who for forty years never ceased her 

 loving and attentive care, but in every way sought to 

 lighten his affliction, and to help him in his work, 

 reading to him, writing for him, and, as far as possible, 

 giving him the use of her own eyes. He used to say 

 of her ' that as long as she lived I was not sensible 

 of the misfortune of being blind.' 



Huber had also a most useful and intelligent servant 

 whom he trained to be a very close and exact observer, 

 and whose eyes he thus used instead of his own. 



