The Story-book of Science
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Title: The Story-book of Science
Author: Jean-Henri Fabre
Published : 1917
Source : Wikipedia
Copyright Status : Public domain
Category : Science, Technology
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1
The Six
II
The Fairy Tale and the True Story
III
The Building of the City
IV
The Cows
V
The Sheepfold
VI
The Wily Dervish
VII
The Numerous Family
VIII
The Old Pear-Tree
IX
The Age of Trees
X
The Length of Animal Life
XI
The Kettle
XII
The Metals
XIII
Metal Plating
XIV
Gold and Iron
XV
The Fleece
XVI
Flax and Hemp
XVII
Cotton
XVIII
Paper
XIX
The Book
XX
Printing
XXI
Butterflies
XXII
The Big Eaters
XXIII
silk
XXIV
The Metamorphosis
XXV
Spiders
XXVI
The Epeira’s Bridge
XXVII
The Spider’s Web
XXVIII
The Chase
XXIX
Venomous Insects
XXX
Venom
XXXI
The Viper and the Scorpion
XXXII
The Nettle
XXXIII
Processionary Caterpillars
XXXIV
The Storm
XXXV
Electricity
XXXVI
The Experiment with the Cat
XXXVII
The Experiment with Paper
XXXVIII
Franklin and De Romas
XXXIX
Thunder and the Lightning-Rod
XL
Effects of the Thunderbolt
XLI
Clouds
XLII
The Velocity of Sound
XLIII
The Experiment with the Bottle of Cold Water
XLIV
Rain
XLV
Volcanoes
XLVI
Catania
XLVII
The Story of Pliny
XLVIII
The Boiling Pot
XLIX
The Locomotive
L
Emile’s Observation
LI
A Journey to the End of the World
LII
The Earth
LIII
The Atmosphere
LIV
The Sun
LV
Day and Night
LVI
The Year and Its Seasons
LVII
Belladonna Berries
LVIII
Poisonous Plants
LIX
The Blossom
LX
Fruit
LXI
Pollen
LXII
The Bumble-Bee
LXIII
Mushrooms
LXIV
In the Woods
LXV
The Orange-Agaric
LXVI
Earthquakes
LXVII
Shall We Kill Them Both?
LXVIII
The Thermometer
LXIX
The Subterranean Furnace
LXX
Shells
LXXI
The Spiral Snail
LXXII
Mother-of-Pearl and Pearls
LXXIII
The Sea
LXXIV
Waves Salt Seaweeds
LXXXV
Running Water
LXXVI
The Swarm
LXXVII
Wax
LXXVIII
The Cells
LXXIX
Honey
LXXX
The Queen Bee
CHAPTER I
THE SIX
ONE evening, at twilight, they were assembled in a group, all six of them. Uncle Paul was reading in a large book. He always reads to rest himself from his labors, finding that after work nothing refreshes so much as communion with a book that teaches us the best that others have done, said, and thought. He has in his room, well arranged on pine shelves, books of all kinds. There are large and small ones, with and without pictures, bound and unbound, and even gilt-edged ones. When he shuts himself up in his room it takes something very serious to divert him from his reading. And so they say that Uncle Paul knows any number of stories. He investigates, he observes for himself. When he walks in his garden he is seen now and then to stop before the hive, around which the bees are humming, or under the elder bush, from which the little flowers fall softly, like flakes of snow; sometimes he stoops to the ground for a better view of a little crawling insect, or a blade of grass just pushing into view. What does he see? What does he observe? Who knows? They say, however, that there comes to his beaming face a holy joy, as if he had just found himself face to face with some secret of the wonders of God. It makes us feel better when we hear stories that he tells at these moments; we feel better, and furthermore we learn a number of things that some day may be very useful to us.
Uncle Paul is an excellent, God-fearing man, obliging to every one, and “as good as bread.” The village has the greatest esteem for him, so much so that they call him Maître Paul, on account of his learning, which is at the service of all.
To help him in his field work—for I must tell you that Uncle Paul knows how to handle a plow as well as a book, and cultivates his little estate with success—he has Jacques, the old husband of old Ambroisine. Mother Ambroisine has the care of the house, Jacques looks after the animals and fields. They are better than two servants; they are two friends in whom Uncle Paul has every confidence. They saw Paul born and have been in the house a long, long time. How often has Jacques made whistles from the bark of a willow to console little Paul when he was unhappy! How many times Ambroisine, to encourage him to go to school without crying, has put a hard-boiled new-laid egg in his lunch basket! So Paul has a great veneration for his father’s two old servants. His house is their house. You should see, too, how Jacques and Mother Ambroisine love their master! For him, if it were necessary, they would let themselves be quartered.
Uncle Paul has no family, he is alone; yet he is never happier than when with children, children who chatter, who ask this, that, and the other, with the adorable ingenuousness of an awakening mind. He has prevailed upon his brother to let his children spend a part of the year with their uncle. There are three: Emile, Jules, and Claire.
Claire is the oldest. When the first cherries come she will be twelve years old. Little Claire is industrious, obedient, gentle, a little timid, but not in the least vain. She knits stockings, hems handkerchiefs, studies her lessons, without thinking of what dress she shall wear Sunday. When her uncle, or Mother Ambroisine, who is almost a mother to her, tells her to do a certain thing, she does it at once, even with pleasure, happy in being able to render some little service. It is a very good quality.
Jules is two years younger. He is a rather thin little body, lively, all fire and flame. When he is preoccupied about something, he does not sleep. He has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. Everything interests and takes possession of him. An ant drawing a straw, a sparrow chirping on the roof, are sufficient to engross his attention. He then turns to his uncle with his interminable questions: Why is this? Why is that? His uncle has great faith in this curiosity, which, properly guided, may lead to good results. But there is one thing about Jules that his uncle does not like. As we must be honest, we will own that Jules has a little fault which would become a grave one if not guarded against: he has a temper. If he is opposed he cries, gets angry, makes big eyes, and spitefully throws away his cap. But it is like the boiling over of milk soup: a trifle will calm him. Uncle Paul hopes to be able to bring him round by gentle reprimands, for Jules has a good heart.
Emile, the youngest of the three, is a complete madcap; his age permits it. If any one gets a face smeared with berries, a bump on the forehead, or a thorn in the finger, it is sure to be he. As much as Jules and Claire enjoy a new book, he enjoys a visit to his box of playthings. And what has he not in the way of playthings? Now it is a spinning-top that makes a loud hum, then blue and red lead soldiers, a Noah’s Ark with all sorts of animals, a trumpet which his uncle has forbidden him to blow because it makes too much noise, then—But he is the only one that knows what there is in that famous box. Let us say at once, before we forget it, Emile is already asking questions of his uncle. His attention is awakening. He begins to understand that in this world a good top is not everything. If one of these days he should forget his box of playthings for a story, no one would be surprised.
About Author :
Fabre was born on 21 December 1823 in Saint-Léons in Aveyron, France. Fabre was largely an autodidact, owing to the poverty of his family. Nevertheless, he acquired a primary teaching certificate at the young age of 19 and began teaching in Carpentras whilst pursuing further studies. In 1849, he was appointed to a teaching post in Ajaccio (Corsica), then in 1853 moved on to the lycée in Avignon.
Jean Henri Fabre by Nadar
Fabre was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his marvellous teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form, which he preferred to a clinically detached, journalistic mode of recording. In doing so he combined what he called "my passion for scientific truth" with keen observations and an engaging, colloquial style of writing. Fabre (translated) wrote:
Others again have reproached me with my style, which has not the solemnity, nay, better, the dryness of the schools. They fear lest a page that is read without fatigue should not always be the expression of the truth. Were I to take their word for it, we are profound only on condition of being obscure.
His Souvenirs Entomologiques is a series of texts on insects and arachnids. He influenced the later writings of Charles Darwin, who called Fabre "an inimitable observer". Fabre, however, was a Christian who remained sceptical about Darwin's theory of evolution, as he always held back from all theories and systems. His special force was exact and detailed observation, field research, always avoiding general conclusions from his observations, which he considered premature.
In one of Fabre's most famous experiments, he arranged pine processionary caterpillars to form a continuous loop around the edge of a pot. As each caterpillar instinctively followed the silken trail of the caterpillars in front of it, the group moved around in a circle for seven days.
He further was able to forecast low atmospheric pressure events by observing the behaviours of the caterpillars.
He died on 11 October 1915.[5] In the English speaking world, he became known through the extensive translations of his work by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, carried out from 1912 to 1922.
Listen along as Uncle Paul converses with his three children, teaching them all about the world around us. Share the story of ants' underground city, the spider's suspension bridge, the caterpillars' metamorphasis. Unlock the mystery behind thunder, lightning, clouds, rain, the year and seasons, volcano's and earthquakes and much more.
Fabre was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist, but is probably best knows for his findings in entomology (the study of insects). His writing about the lives of insects in biographical form is part of his enduring popularity.
Fabre had many scholarly achievements. He was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his marvelous teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form.
Source : Wikipedia
Author: Jean-Henri Fabre
Published : 1917
Source : Wikipedia
Copyright Status : Public domain
Category : Science, Technology
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
1
The Six
II
The Fairy Tale and the True Story
III
The Building of the City
IV
The Cows
V
The Sheepfold
VI
The Wily Dervish
VII
The Numerous Family
VIII
The Old Pear-Tree
IX
The Age of Trees
X
The Length of Animal Life
XI
The Kettle
XII
The Metals
XIII
Metal Plating
XIV
Gold and Iron
XV
The Fleece
XVI
Flax and Hemp
XVII
Cotton
XVIII
Paper
XIX
The Book
XX
Printing
XXI
Butterflies
XXII
The Big Eaters
XXIII
silk
XXIV
The Metamorphosis
XXV
Spiders
XXVI
The Epeira’s Bridge
XXVII
The Spider’s Web
XXVIII
The Chase
XXIX
Venomous Insects
XXX
Venom
XXXI
The Viper and the Scorpion
XXXII
The Nettle
XXXIII
Processionary Caterpillars
XXXIV
The Storm
XXXV
Electricity
XXXVI
The Experiment with the Cat
XXXVII
The Experiment with Paper
XXXVIII
Franklin and De Romas
XXXIX
Thunder and the Lightning-Rod
XL
Effects of the Thunderbolt
XLI
Clouds
XLII
The Velocity of Sound
XLIII
The Experiment with the Bottle of Cold Water
XLIV
Rain
XLV
Volcanoes
XLVI
Catania
XLVII
The Story of Pliny
XLVIII
The Boiling Pot
XLIX
The Locomotive
L
Emile’s Observation
LI
A Journey to the End of the World
LII
The Earth
LIII
The Atmosphere
LIV
The Sun
LV
Day and Night
LVI
The Year and Its Seasons
LVII
Belladonna Berries
LVIII
Poisonous Plants
LIX
The Blossom
LX
Fruit
LXI
Pollen
LXII
The Bumble-Bee
LXIII
Mushrooms
LXIV
In the Woods
LXV
The Orange-Agaric
LXVI
Earthquakes
LXVII
Shall We Kill Them Both?
LXVIII
The Thermometer
LXIX
The Subterranean Furnace
LXX
Shells
LXXI
The Spiral Snail
LXXII
Mother-of-Pearl and Pearls
LXXIII
The Sea
LXXIV
Waves Salt Seaweeds
LXXXV
Running Water
LXXVI
The Swarm
LXXVII
Wax
LXXVIII
The Cells
LXXIX
Honey
LXXX
The Queen Bee
CHAPTER I
THE SIX
ONE evening, at twilight, they were assembled in a group, all six of them. Uncle Paul was reading in a large book. He always reads to rest himself from his labors, finding that after work nothing refreshes so much as communion with a book that teaches us the best that others have done, said, and thought. He has in his room, well arranged on pine shelves, books of all kinds. There are large and small ones, with and without pictures, bound and unbound, and even gilt-edged ones. When he shuts himself up in his room it takes something very serious to divert him from his reading. And so they say that Uncle Paul knows any number of stories. He investigates, he observes for himself. When he walks in his garden he is seen now and then to stop before the hive, around which the bees are humming, or under the elder bush, from which the little flowers fall softly, like flakes of snow; sometimes he stoops to the ground for a better view of a little crawling insect, or a blade of grass just pushing into view. What does he see? What does he observe? Who knows? They say, however, that there comes to his beaming face a holy joy, as if he had just found himself face to face with some secret of the wonders of God. It makes us feel better when we hear stories that he tells at these moments; we feel better, and furthermore we learn a number of things that some day may be very useful to us.
Uncle Paul is an excellent, God-fearing man, obliging to every one, and “as good as bread.” The village has the greatest esteem for him, so much so that they call him Maître Paul, on account of his learning, which is at the service of all.
To help him in his field work—for I must tell you that Uncle Paul knows how to handle a plow as well as a book, and cultivates his little estate with success—he has Jacques, the old husband of old Ambroisine. Mother Ambroisine has the care of the house, Jacques looks after the animals and fields. They are better than two servants; they are two friends in whom Uncle Paul has every confidence. They saw Paul born and have been in the house a long, long time. How often has Jacques made whistles from the bark of a willow to console little Paul when he was unhappy! How many times Ambroisine, to encourage him to go to school without crying, has put a hard-boiled new-laid egg in his lunch basket! So Paul has a great veneration for his father’s two old servants. His house is their house. You should see, too, how Jacques and Mother Ambroisine love their master! For him, if it were necessary, they would let themselves be quartered.
Uncle Paul has no family, he is alone; yet he is never happier than when with children, children who chatter, who ask this, that, and the other, with the adorable ingenuousness of an awakening mind. He has prevailed upon his brother to let his children spend a part of the year with their uncle. There are three: Emile, Jules, and Claire.
Claire is the oldest. When the first cherries come she will be twelve years old. Little Claire is industrious, obedient, gentle, a little timid, but not in the least vain. She knits stockings, hems handkerchiefs, studies her lessons, without thinking of what dress she shall wear Sunday. When her uncle, or Mother Ambroisine, who is almost a mother to her, tells her to do a certain thing, she does it at once, even with pleasure, happy in being able to render some little service. It is a very good quality.
Jules is two years younger. He is a rather thin little body, lively, all fire and flame. When he is preoccupied about something, he does not sleep. He has an insatiable appetite for knowledge. Everything interests and takes possession of him. An ant drawing a straw, a sparrow chirping on the roof, are sufficient to engross his attention. He then turns to his uncle with his interminable questions: Why is this? Why is that? His uncle has great faith in this curiosity, which, properly guided, may lead to good results. But there is one thing about Jules that his uncle does not like. As we must be honest, we will own that Jules has a little fault which would become a grave one if not guarded against: he has a temper. If he is opposed he cries, gets angry, makes big eyes, and spitefully throws away his cap. But it is like the boiling over of milk soup: a trifle will calm him. Uncle Paul hopes to be able to bring him round by gentle reprimands, for Jules has a good heart.
Emile, the youngest of the three, is a complete madcap; his age permits it. If any one gets a face smeared with berries, a bump on the forehead, or a thorn in the finger, it is sure to be he. As much as Jules and Claire enjoy a new book, he enjoys a visit to his box of playthings. And what has he not in the way of playthings? Now it is a spinning-top that makes a loud hum, then blue and red lead soldiers, a Noah’s Ark with all sorts of animals, a trumpet which his uncle has forbidden him to blow because it makes too much noise, then—But he is the only one that knows what there is in that famous box. Let us say at once, before we forget it, Emile is already asking questions of his uncle. His attention is awakening. He begins to understand that in this world a good top is not everything. If one of these days he should forget his box of playthings for a story, no one would be surprised.
About Author :
Fabre was born on 21 December 1823 in Saint-Léons in Aveyron, France. Fabre was largely an autodidact, owing to the poverty of his family. Nevertheless, he acquired a primary teaching certificate at the young age of 19 and began teaching in Carpentras whilst pursuing further studies. In 1849, he was appointed to a teaching post in Ajaccio (Corsica), then in 1853 moved on to the lycée in Avignon.
Jean Henri Fabre by Nadar
Fabre was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his marvellous teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form, which he preferred to a clinically detached, journalistic mode of recording. In doing so he combined what he called "my passion for scientific truth" with keen observations and an engaging, colloquial style of writing. Fabre (translated) wrote:
Others again have reproached me with my style, which has not the solemnity, nay, better, the dryness of the schools. They fear lest a page that is read without fatigue should not always be the expression of the truth. Were I to take their word for it, we are profound only on condition of being obscure.
His Souvenirs Entomologiques is a series of texts on insects and arachnids. He influenced the later writings of Charles Darwin, who called Fabre "an inimitable observer". Fabre, however, was a Christian who remained sceptical about Darwin's theory of evolution, as he always held back from all theories and systems. His special force was exact and detailed observation, field research, always avoiding general conclusions from his observations, which he considered premature.
In one of Fabre's most famous experiments, he arranged pine processionary caterpillars to form a continuous loop around the edge of a pot. As each caterpillar instinctively followed the silken trail of the caterpillars in front of it, the group moved around in a circle for seven days.
He further was able to forecast low atmospheric pressure events by observing the behaviours of the caterpillars.
He died on 11 October 1915.[5] In the English speaking world, he became known through the extensive translations of his work by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, carried out from 1912 to 1922.
Listen along as Uncle Paul converses with his three children, teaching them all about the world around us. Share the story of ants' underground city, the spider's suspension bridge, the caterpillars' metamorphasis. Unlock the mystery behind thunder, lightning, clouds, rain, the year and seasons, volcano's and earthquakes and much more.
Fabre was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist, but is probably best knows for his findings in entomology (the study of insects). His writing about the lives of insects in biographical form is part of his enduring popularity.
Fabre had many scholarly achievements. He was a popular teacher, physicist, chemist, and botanist. However, he is probably best known for his findings in the field of entomology, the study of insects, and is considered by many to be the father of modern entomology. Much of his enduring popularity is due to his marvelous teaching ability and his manner of writing about the lives of insects in biographical form.
Source : Wikipedia
