THE PURSUIT.Seepage 158.THE INSECTBYJULES MICHELET.WITH 140 ILLUSTRATIONS BY GIACOMELLI,ILLUSTRATOR OF "THE BIRD."LONDON:T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.1875.Preface.The Insect" is one of the four remarkable works in which the late M. Michelet embodied the results of a loving and persevering study of Nature. These works are absolutely unique; the poetry of Science was never before illustrated on so large a scale, or with so much vividness of fancy, or in so eloquent a style. The aspects of Nature were never before examined with so strong an enthusiasm or so definite an individuality,—with so eager a desire to identify them with the feelings, hopes, and aspirations of humanity. Michelet approached his subject neither as philosopher nor as poet, but yet with something of the spirit of both. His philosophy and poetry, however, were both subordinate to his ardent sympathy with what he conceived to be the soul, the personality of Nature; and whether his attention was directed to the life of ocean, the bird, the insect, or the mountain-plant, he still sought for some evidence of its special and distinct existence, with thoughts and emotions, as it were, and a character of its own. It was almost as if he saw in Nature a likeness to, and a kinship with, humanity. No doubt, in expressing these views he was occasionally led into a certain extravagance, and his enthusiasm not infrequently outran or overmastered his judgment. He lacked the profound insight and sober reflection of Wordsworth, and accuracy of detail was often sacrificed for the sake of a brilliant generalization. But, after making due allowance for defects inseparable, perhaps, from a genius rather passionate and impulsive than analytic and self-composed, it must be admitted that the lover of Nature has cause to be grateful for the fine fancies, rich illustrations, and suggestive analogies crowded into the books we speak of.A recent writer, M. Monod,[A]has pronounced upon them an animated eulogium:—"Scientific men may discover in these books errors, inaccuracies, and exaggerations; but, in spite of all, they have shown that the physicalsciences, though accused of withering the soul, and robbing Nature of poetry and life of enchantment, contain the elements of a profound and varied poetry, that never loses its charm, because it is not dependent on the caprices of taste and fashion, but has its source in the unchangeable reality of things. Many have said that science will drive out religion and poetry; Michelet finds in every branch of science the demonstration of a new faith, revealing to him a harmony till then unperceived, centred in the supreme unity of the Divine mind and of the Absolute Being."[A]Macmillan's Magazine, July 1874, pp. 231, 232.Whether the reader endorses this high eulogium or not, he will certainly, in "The Insect," as in "The Bird," find a new stimulus to the study of Nature, and a fresh proof of the power and fancy of one of the greatest of modern French writers.Of the present translation, it is necessary only to say that it has been executed with a conscientious adherence to the original, and with an effort to preserve, as far as possible, its peculiarities of style. If it should be thought that in the attempt something of freedom and fluency has been sacrificed, it is hoped the critic will acknowledge that something of faithfulness has been gained. The author of "The Insect" took much interest in the presentation of it and its companions to the English reader in an English dress, and was pleased to express his approval of the manner in which the Translator had accomplished his task.It remains to be added that the exquisite Illustrations, by M. H. Giacomelli, have all been specially drawn and engraved for the English edition.W. H. DAVENPORT ADAMS.INTRODUCTION.I.THE LIVING INFINITE,17II.OUR STUDIES AT PARIS AND IN SWITZERLAND,23III.OUR STUDIES AT FONTAINEBLEAU,36IV.OUR STUDIES AT FONTAINEBLEAU (CONTINUED),46BOOK I.—METAMORPHOSIS.I.TERROR AND REPUGNANCE OF CHILDHOOD,57II.COMPASSION,67III.WORLD-BUILDERS,79IV.LOVE AND DEATH,89V.THE ORPHAN: ITS FEEBLENESS,99VI.THE MUMMY, NYMPH, OR CHRYSALIS,109VII.THE PHŒNIX,119BOOK II.—MISSION AND ARTS OF THE INSECT.I.SWAMMERDAM,129II.THE MICROSCOPE:—HAS THE INSECT A PHYSIOGNOMY?143III.THE INSECT AS THE AGENT OF NATURE IN THE ACCELERATION OF DEATH AND LIFE,155IV.THE INSECT AS MAN'S AUXILIARY,165V.A PHANTASMAGORIA OF LIGHT AND COLOUR,175VI.THE SILKWORM,185VII.INSTRUMENTS OF THE INSECT: AND ITS CHEMICAL ENERGIES, AS IN THE COCHINEAL AND THE CANTHARIDES,193VIII.ON THE RENOVATION OF OUR ARTS BY THE STUDY OF THE INSECT,201IX.THE SPIDER—INDUSTRY—THE STOPPAGE,211X.THE HOME AND LOVES OF THE SPIDER,223BOOK III.—COMMUNITIES OF INSECTS.I.THE CITY IN THE SHADOWS: THE TERMITES, OR WHITE ANTS,235II.THE ANTS:—THEIR DOMESTIC ECONOMY—THEIR NUPTIALS,245III.THE ANTS:—THEIR FLOCKS AND THEIR SLAVES,259IV.THE ANTS:—CIVIL WAR—EXTERMINATION OF THE COMMUNITY,271V.THE WASPS: THEIR FURY OF IMPROVISATION,283VI."THE BEES" OF VIRGIL,293VII.THE BEE IN THE FIELDS,301VIII.THE BEES AS ARCHITECTS: THE CITY,311IX.HOW THE BEES CREATE THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMON MOTHER,321CONCLUSION,333ILLUSTRATIVE NOTES,341ANALYSIS OF SUBJECTS,363List of IllustrationsDRAWN BY H. GIACOMELLI.arrowsEngraved byPageThe Pursuit,Rouget,FrontispieceA Home among the Mountains—Lucerne,Sargent,15On the Watch,Berveiller,17Border—Amongst the Flowers,Berveiller,18Border—Insect Life,Berveiller,19Border—Mailed Insects,Méaulle,20Border—Bees and Beetles,Méaulle,21Border—Grasshoppers and Beetles,Méaulle,22Tailpiece—Naturalist's "Traps,"Berveiller,22Border—Caterpillars,Coste,23Tailpiece—The Author's Implements,Ansseau,35The Forest of Fontainebleau,Rouget,39The Woodpecker,Berveiller,46Tailpiece—Flowers,Morison,52Fallen Fruit,Whymper,55Horned Beetles,Méaulle,57The Childhood's Home of Madame Michelet,Rouget,59Tailpiece—Insect Prey,Méaulle,63A Winged Intruder,Sargent,65War!Méaulle,67Between Chillon and Clarens,Jonnard,71The Field—Various Insects,Berveiller,72Tailpiece—An Etherized Prisoner,Méaulle,75World-Builders,Méaulle,77Polyzoa,Jonnard,79"Food for Fishes,"Jonnard,82Coral Island,Whymper,84Tailpiece—Shells,Jonnard,85Sunshine and Shade,Jonnard,87Love and Death,Méaulle,89In the Wood,Sargent,91Gathering Sweets,Berveiller,92Tailpiece—A Shady Nook,Morison,95Nest of Humble-Bee,Rouget,97"The Chilly One,"Sargent,99Tailpiece—Cocoon,Berveiller,105The Dragon-Fly,Jonnard,107The Sacred Beetle of the Egyptians,Jonnard,109Butterflies and Flowers,Jonnard,112Tailpiece—Chrysalis,Sargent,115The Phœnix,Méaulle,117Seeking the Light,Whymper,119A Winged Warrior,Berveiller,122The Imperial Weevil,Berveiller,123Tailpiece—The Weevil on the Mountain-Top,Morison,124Swammerdam,Méaulle,127Dutch Landscape,Méaulle,129"Melancholy Meads,"Ansseau,132A Tempest on the Dutch Coast,Méaulle,137Tailpiece—The Task,Ansseau,139Under the Microscope,Méaulle,141A Philosopher's "Den,"Coste,143Tailpiece—A Finished Task,Ansseau,151A Coleopterous Giant,Méaulle,153An Agent of Nature,Rouget,155"Rhinoceros-like Cuirassiers",Méaulle,159Tailpiece—Horned Beetle,Méaulle,162Man's Auxiliary,Rouget,163Carabidæ,Jonnard,165Hunting the Enemy,Ansseau,168Tailpiece—The Pilgrim Locust,Ansseau,172Aerial Beauties,Sargent,173The Acrocinus,Whymper,175Streaked Taupin, and Earwig,Ansseau,176Buprestidans,Coste,179Tailpiece—Butterfly and Flower,Berveiller,182Insect Manufacturers,Méaulle,183The Dead-Leaf Moth,Sargent,185Cocoons,Jonnard,188Tailpiece—A Prisoner,Jonnard,189Long-Horned Beetles,Méaulle,191Insects and their Weapons,Méaulle,193Tailpiece—Cat and Cantharides,Ansseau,197A Thing of Beauty,Jonnard,199Leaf-Rollers,Berveiller,201Grasshopper of Guiana,Ansseau,203Cassida,Coste,205Tailpiece—Insects "Fantastic and Wonderful,"Méaulle,207The Spider,Rouget,209Aquatic Spiders,Jonnard,211On the Look-out,Berveiller,216Blue-Bottles and Beetles,Ansseau,217Tailpiece—Bird-catching Spider,Berveiller,219The Garden Spider,Jonnard,221Trap-door Spider and House,Sargent,223Spider and Butterfly,Méaulle,226Tailpiece—The Musical Spider,Ansseau,230The City in the Shadows,Méaulle,233Ruins Caused by the Termites in Valencia,Méaulle,235Tailpiece—Termites (Solders, Worker, and Female)from the Coast of Guinea,Berveiller,241Ants at Work,Rouget,243The Nuptials of the Ants,Jonnard,245Nest of Russet Ants,Rouget,249Carpenter Ants,Berveiller,253Tailpiece—Ants and Flowers,Jonnard,255A Migration of Ants,Rouget,257Roses, Grubs, and Ants,Whymper,259A Feast for the Ants,Berveiller,266Tailpiece—Honey-making Ants,Ansseau,268The Nightingale—"Dreaming and Listening,"Rouget,269Bramble and Ants,Berveiller,271Tailpiece—The Unhappy Fugitive,Berveiller,280The Home of the Wasps,Rouget,281Polystes and their Nests,Berveiller,283Eumenes domiformes and their Nests,Sargent,287Tailpiece—Wasp and Fruit,Méaulle,289A Tomb at Père-Lachaise,Sargent,291The Living and the Dead,Berveiller,293Tailpiece—Virgilian Bees,Berveiller,298The Bee in the Fields,Berveiller,299Bees and Wild Flowers,Berveiller,301Bees and Blossoms,Berveiller,305Tailpiece—Drone Bee,Berveiller,308"Busy Bees,"Méaulle,309The Sphinx Atropos,Méaulle,311Tailpiece—A Winged Brigand,Méaulle,317Bees on the Wing,Méaulle,319Inside the Hive,Berveiller,321Bees in Search of the Natural Hive,Jonnard,326Tailpiece—Queen-Bee,Berveiller,329The Praying-Mantis, and other Insects,Berveiller,331Lady-Birds and Grain,Méaulle,333Butterfly and Moth,Jonnard,334The Stag-Beetle,Méaulle,,335Tailpiece—The Author's Visitors,Berveiller,338Book, Flowers, and Insects,Berveiller,339Stag-Beetle,Sargent,341Carabus Auratus,Sargent,345A Sacrifice to Science,Méaulle,346Horned Centrote and Globular Bocydie,Sargent,347Beetle,Méaulle,348Caterpillar and Leaf,Sargent,348Butterfly and Flower,Sargent,,350Rhinoceros-horned Beetle,Méaulle,351Birds and Lady-Bird,Berveiller,351Wasps,Morison,352Tuft-horned Beetle,Morison,353Garden Spider,Morison,354Termite: Long-sheathed Nymph,Ansseau,354Rhinoceros-horned Beetle,Morison,356Dragon-Fly and Ants,Ansseau,356Wasps,Berveiller,357Bees,Ansseau,358Bird and Butterfly,Berveiller,362
THE PURSUIT.Seepage 158.
THE PURSUIT.Seepage 158.
THE INSECT
BY
JULES MICHELET.
WITH 140 ILLUSTRATIONS BY GIACOMELLI,ILLUSTRATOR OF "THE BIRD."
LONDON:T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW;EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.1875.
Preface.
The Insect" is one of the four remarkable works in which the late M. Michelet embodied the results of a loving and persevering study of Nature. These works are absolutely unique; the poetry of Science was never before illustrated on so large a scale, or with so much vividness of fancy, or in so eloquent a style. The aspects of Nature were never before examined with so strong an enthusiasm or so definite an individuality,—with so eager a desire to identify them with the feelings, hopes, and aspirations of humanity. Michelet approached his subject neither as philosopher nor as poet, but yet with something of the spirit of both. His philosophy and poetry, however, were both subordinate to his ardent sympathy with what he conceived to be the soul, the personality of Nature; and whether his attention was directed to the life of ocean, the bird, the insect, or the mountain-plant, he still sought for some evidence of its special and distinct existence, with thoughts and emotions, as it were, and a character of its own. It was almost as if he saw in Nature a likeness to, and a kinship with, humanity. No doubt, in expressing these views he was occasionally led into a certain extravagance, and his enthusiasm not infrequently outran or overmastered his judgment. He lacked the profound insight and sober reflection of Wordsworth, and accuracy of detail was often sacrificed for the sake of a brilliant generalization. But, after making due allowance for defects inseparable, perhaps, from a genius rather passionate and impulsive than analytic and self-composed, it must be admitted that the lover of Nature has cause to be grateful for the fine fancies, rich illustrations, and suggestive analogies crowded into the books we speak of.
A recent writer, M. Monod,[A]has pronounced upon them an animated eulogium:—"Scientific men may discover in these books errors, inaccuracies, and exaggerations; but, in spite of all, they have shown that the physicalsciences, though accused of withering the soul, and robbing Nature of poetry and life of enchantment, contain the elements of a profound and varied poetry, that never loses its charm, because it is not dependent on the caprices of taste and fashion, but has its source in the unchangeable reality of things. Many have said that science will drive out religion and poetry; Michelet finds in every branch of science the demonstration of a new faith, revealing to him a harmony till then unperceived, centred in the supreme unity of the Divine mind and of the Absolute Being."
[A]Macmillan's Magazine, July 1874, pp. 231, 232.
[A]Macmillan's Magazine, July 1874, pp. 231, 232.
Whether the reader endorses this high eulogium or not, he will certainly, in "The Insect," as in "The Bird," find a new stimulus to the study of Nature, and a fresh proof of the power and fancy of one of the greatest of modern French writers.
Of the present translation, it is necessary only to say that it has been executed with a conscientious adherence to the original, and with an effort to preserve, as far as possible, its peculiarities of style. If it should be thought that in the attempt something of freedom and fluency has been sacrificed, it is hoped the critic will acknowledge that something of faithfulness has been gained. The author of "The Insect" took much interest in the presentation of it and its companions to the English reader in an English dress, and was pleased to express his approval of the manner in which the Translator had accomplished his task.
It remains to be added that the exquisite Illustrations, by M. H. Giacomelli, have all been specially drawn and engraved for the English edition.
W. H. DAVENPORT ADAMS.
List of Illustrations
DRAWN BY H. GIACOMELLI.
arrows