150 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



Gardens and the Botanical Grardens at Kew combined, 

 and for years they had been under the care of the 

 first physician to the king. This physician was 

 indifferent to the science of botany ; he had neglected 

 the garden, which had consequently fallen into such a 

 state of decay as to attract the attention of govern- 

 ment. An inquiry into the management having been 

 instituted, it was finally determined that the superin- 

 tendence of the chief physician should be abolished, and 

 the direction of the garden being deemed worthy of 

 special and continuous attention, the post was conferred 

 on a M. Dufay, a man of learning and science. After 

 occupying the post for some years he was taken seriously 

 ill, and a friend said to him, " Buff on is the only man 

 enabled by his strength of character to continue the 

 work of regeneration begun by you " ; and Dufay himself 

 signed the application that Buffo n should be appointed, 

 and from that period dates the development of the 

 garden. 



Assured of the royal favour, and safe in popular 

 esteem, Buffon found himself unlimited in means and 

 uncontrolled in scheme. He purchased houses, lands, 

 collections. He pulled down, rebuilt, enlarged, reor- 

 ganized. The king threw open to him the public 

 treasury, and of this princely credit Buffon made ample 

 and unshrinking use, guarding, however, at the same 

 time, against unpractical and visionary projects. 



In 1744, Buffon first published his " Theory of the 

 Earth," which was included in his comprehensive and 

 most celebrated work, " Natural History, Greneral and 

 Particular," which commenced in 1749 and was com- 



