18 
MEMOIR OF HUBER. 
himself in good earnest to investigate the nature of 
his winged favourites, external nature presented to 
his eyes one universal blank ; 
“ So thick a drop serene had quenched their orbs.” 
It is not, therefore, without reason that his friend 
and eulogist De Candolle* asserts that “ nothing of 
any importance has been added to the history of bees 
since his time ; and naturalists of unimpaired vision 
have nothing of consequence to subjoin to the obser- 
vations of a brother who was deprived of sight." 
Francis Huber was born at Geneva on the 2d July, 
1750. His father possessed a decided taste for sub- 
jects of natural science ; the son inherited the taste of 
his father ; and, even in his boyish days, pursued his 
favourite studies with such intense ardour ns mate- 
rially to injure his health, and bring on that weakness 
in his visual organs which eventually ended in total 
blindness. His attention had been led to what be- 
came his favourite, — indeed his sole and engrossing 
study, the habits and economy of the Honey-Bee, by 
his admiration of the writings of Reaumur, and above 
all, by his acquaintance with Bonnet, — the illustrious 
author of “Contemplation de la Nature," who quickly 
discerned the intelligence and penetration of his 
young friend, and who kindly and strongly encouraged 
him in his peculiar researches. It is singular enough 
that these two distinguished naturalists and friends 
* See Memoir of Huber by M. de Candolle in the Edinburgh 
Philosophical Journal for April 1833. 
