Here is the thing.
“But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden and squeezed under the gate!”
Oh, yes. We know the good story of Peter Rabbit. It was written by Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was written in 1893. With little notice. She later expanded the story into a proper manuscript. And then? She self-published it in 1901 after being rejected by several publishers. Believe me. I know the feeling. Anyway, it was officially published in book form in 1902 by Frederick Warne & Co., with her own illustrations.
Why today? Well, it is the end of July, and the rabbits everywhere are sneaking into gardens. But also, it is Beatrix’s birthday, born July 28, 1866, in Kensington, London, England.
She would live on for 77 years, dying on December 22, 1943. It was complications from pneumonia and heart disease that got her.
Beatrix Potter led a fascinating life beyond just writing The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
She was more than just an author. She was a talented scientific illustrator. Beatrix was deeply interested in natural science, particularly mycology (the study of fungi). She created hundreds of detailed, accurate illustrations of mushrooms and spores. She even wrote a scientific paper, but it was dismissed—partly because she was a woman.
Not only that, she was a farmer and conservationist. Later in life, she became a sheep breeder and purchased large swaths of land in England’s Lake District. She was a dedicated conservationist. When she died, Beatrix left over 4,000 acres of land to the National Trust of England.
All in all, she authored 23 children’s tales. These included The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
I like the likes of Beatrix Potter. Anyone who would write a tale about Squirrel Nutkin has got to be all good.
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“Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were—Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter.”
— Beatrix Potter, opening line of The Tale of Peter Rabbit
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“Stories never really end, even if the books like to pretend they do.”
— Cornelia Funke
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“Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye… it also includes the inner pictures of the soul.”
— Edvard Munch
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“The earth has music for those who listen.”
— George Santayana
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