It. SEMINAL VERMICULI. ^25 



fclf my obfervatiohs are of more value than his, 

 from exaftnefs of execution or affiduity in conti- 

 nuance. If it may be allowed, 1 fhall even fay 

 they may be preferred from being more nume- 

 rous. At the fame time, M, de Buffon's perfedt 

 contiftion of the truth of his obfervations : his 

 great confidence that the readers who repeat 

 them will find them fcrupuloufly exa£t : the na- 

 tural and decided manner in which he oppofes 

 them to thofe of Leeuwenhoeck; and the errors he 

 reproaches him with : all made me judge it poffible 

 that the Dutch microfcopift and myfelf might be 

 deceived. And this was aided by a confidera- 

 tion v^^hich) though foreign to the fubjed, is 

 plauiible ; I mean the great reputation and cele- 

 brity the French naturalift defervedly enjoys. I 

 long hefitated whether to profecute my obferva- 

 tions, and fubjed them to as rigorous an exami- 

 nation as might be poffible, or whether it mip-ht 

 be more proper to abandon them left they fliould 

 not be credited from the formidable trial they had 

 to undergo. I would adually have done io, had 

 not my iliuilrious friend M. Bonnet, who is well 

 ikilled in fuch matters, diverted my intention. 

 He itrenuoufly advifed me to ftudy the feminal 

 vermicuK of various animals. I replied, it had 

 already been partially done, but my labours had 

 been fufpended on finding my obfervations fo 

 very different from thofe of M. de Buffon, whofe" 

 X 3 authority 



