NATURAL niSTOBY OF THE IIONEY-BEE. 
33 
his observations. r> > it to make their case still stronger, 
they assert that his servant, Francis Burnens, by whose 
aid he conducted his experiments, was only an ignorant 
peasant Now this so-called “ignorant peasant” was a 
man of strong native intellect, possessing the indefatigable 
energy and enthusiasm so indispensable to a good obser- 
ver. He was a noble specimen of a self-made man, and 
rose to be the chief magistrate in the village where he 
resided. Huber has paid au admirable tribute to his 
intelligence, fidelity, indomitable patience, energy and 
skill.* 
It would be difficult to find in' any language a better 
specimen of the inductive system of reasoning, than 
Huber’s work on bees, and it might be studied as a model 
of the only way of investigating nature, so as to arrive at 
reliable results. 
Huber was assisted in his researches, not only by Bur- 
nens, but by his own wife, to whom he was betrothed 
before the loss of his sight, and who nobly persisted in 
marrying him, notwithstanding his misfortune and the 
strenuous dissuasions of her friends. They lived longer 
than the ordinary term of human life in the enjoyment of 
great domestic happiness, and the amiable naturalist 
through her assiduous attentions scarcely felt the loss of 
his sight. 
Milton is believed by many to have been a better poet 
in consequence of his blindness ; and it is highly probable 
that Huber was a better Apiarian from the same cause. 
His active yet reflective mind demanded constant employ- 
ment ; and he found in the study of the habits of the 
honey-bee, full scope for his powers. All the observations 
♦ A single fact will show the character of the man. It became necessary, in a 
certain experiment, to examine separately all the bees in two bives. “ Burnens 
spent dwem. days in performing this work, and during the whole time he scarcely 
allowod himself any relaxation but what the relief of his eyes required ” 
2 * 
