208 LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 
the animal modified, change of condition being the 
indirect cause.* He, however, did not suggest the 
idea of the transmission of acquired characters by 
heredity, and does not mention the word heredity. 
These are all the facts he stated; but though not 
an observer, Buffon was a broad thinker, and was led 
from these few data to generalize, as he could well 
do, from the breadth of his knowledge of geology 
gained from the works of his predecessors, from 
Leibnitz to Woodward and Whiston. 
« After the rapid elance;” he says, “at these -varia- 
tions, which indicate to us the special changes under- 
gone by each species, there arises a more important 
consideration, and the view of which is broader; it is 
that of the transformation (changement) of the species 
themselves; it is that more ancient modification which 
has gone on from time immemorial, which seems to 
have been made in each family or, if we prefer, in each 
of the genera in which were comprised more or less 
allied species.”’ + 
In the beginning of his first volume he states “ that 
we can descend by almost imperceptible degrees from 
the most perfect creature to the most formless matter 
—from the most highly organized animal to the most 
entirely inorganic substance. We will recognize this 
eradation as the great work of nature; and we will 
observe it not only as regards size and form, but 
also in respect of movements and in the successive 
generations of every species.” 
“Hence,” “he continues, “arises! the. difficulty. of 
* Butler, 7. ¢., p. 122 (from Buffon, tome v., 1755). 
+ Tome xiv., p. 335 (1766). 
