Moreover，thefirstfewvolumeswereinnowayseductive。Theyboastednotthemostelementarydrawingstohelpthereader；nottheslightestwoodcuttogiveadirectideaoftheinsectsdescribed；oftheirshape，aspect，orphysiognomy；andasimplesketch，howeverpoor，isoftenworthmorethanlongandlaboriousdescriptions。Thefirstvolumesespecially，printedeconomically，attheleastpossibleexpense，werenotoutwardlyattractive。
Itisalsotruethathehadneverfoundedanygreathopesonthesaleofsuchworks。
Veryfewpeoplearereallyinterestedintheloweranimals，andFabrehasbeenreproachedwithwastinghistimeover“childishhistories，unworthyofseriousattentionandunlikelytomakemoney。”ofwastinginfrivolousoccupationsthetimewhichispassingsoquicklyandcanneverreturn。Andwhyshouldhehavestillfurtherwastedsomanyprecioushoursinexecutingminutedrawingswhosereproductionwouldhaveinvolvedanexpenditurewhichhispublisherwouldnotdaretoventureupon，andwhichhehimselfcouldnotafford？
Forthisuniversalinquirerwaswellfittedforsuchatask，andallthesecreatureswhichhehaddepictedheiscapableofrepresentingwithbrushandpencilasfaithfullyaswithhispen。Hehaditinhimtobenotonlyawriter，butanexcellentdraughtsman，andevenagreatpainter。Hehasreproducedinwater-colour，withlovingcare，thedecorationsofthespecimensofprehistoricpotterywhichhisexcavationshaverevealed，andwhichhehasendeavouredtoreconstruct，withallthescienceofanarchaeologist。Hehasdisplayedthesameskillinwater-colourinthatastonishingiconography，inwhichhehasdetailed，withmarvellousaccuracy，allthepeculiaritiesofthemycologicalfloraoftheolive-
growingdistricts。16/14。