Biographical Memoir of Mr Daubentctri- 11 



because it did contain theni, the xiame^ oi goMenwork, imd 

 truly classical work *; and some of those flatterers who crawl 

 before renown as before power,' because renown is also power, 

 induced BufFon to think that he would gain by casting off his 

 importunate fellow labourer. The secretary of an illustrious 

 academy was even heard afterwards to declare, that natura- 

 lists alone could regret that he followed this advice. »H 

 (•-•'Buffon, therefore, pubHshed an edition of tlie //^^sfoer^ Natu- 

 r^le in 12mo, from which he excluded, not only the anatomical 

 parti but also ^he external descriptions of tlie animals, which 

 Daubenton had drawn up for the large edition ; and, as nothing 

 was substituted, the consequence was, that this work gave no 

 idea of the forms, colout^s, dr distinctive characters of animals ; 

 so that, were this small edition alone to resist the waste of time, 

 as the multitude of re-impressions, that are at thd present day 

 published, might induce us to fear, there -would/ no longer re- 

 main any means of recognising the animals of which the author 

 meant to speak, more than we find in Pliny and Aristdtle, who 

 also neglected the particulars of the descriptions.'''>'vf: >n< i- - 



BufFon further resolved to appear by himself in what he sub- 

 sequently published, whether on birds or on minerals. Besides 

 the affront, Daubenton sustained by this a considerable loss. 

 tte might have commenced a prosecution,' for 'the ^undertaking 

 had been concerted in common; but, had he done so,' he would 

 have quarrelled with the Intendant of the Garden of Plants ; 

 and it would have been Tlecessary for him "to hJstve left the ca- 

 binet which he had formed, and of which he held possession as 

 it were for life. He therefore overlooked the affront and the 

 loss, and continued his occupations. 



The regret which was testified by all naturalists when they 

 iaw the commencement of the History of' Birds appear unao- 

 companied by those careful dissections which they held in such 

 estitnatioii, must have contributed to console hrm. r . to 



He might have had still more reason to feel domforted, had 

 not his attachment to the great man who neglected him, over- 

 come his self-love, when he «aw these first volumes, to which 

 Gueneau de Montbeillard made no contribution, filled with inac- 



• See. P»Uas'$ Glires and Spicilegia Zoologica. 



