214 MEMOIR OF DAUBENTON; 



Le delivered some lectures there. He was receive^ 

 with the most lively enthusiasm every time he appeared ; 

 every time his numerous auditory recognised in his ex- 

 pressions the sentiments with which they were animated, 

 and which they were delighted to see they shared with 

 this venerable old man. 



This is the place to speabof some of his works, wliich 

 are not so much intended to explain his discoveries, as 

 to teach systematically some body of doctrine ; such are 

 nis articles for the two Encyclopedias, particularly the 

 Encyclopedie Methodique^ for which he drew up dic- 

 tionaries of quadrupeds, reptiles, and fishes-; his miner- 

 alogical table, andJleoturea in the normal school. He 

 has left the complete- manuscript of those of the Vsteri- 

 nary School, of the College of France, and of the Mu- 

 seum. It is to be hoped that the public will not be 

 deprived of them. 



These didactic writings are remarkable for their great 

 clearness, sound principles, and a scrupulous attention 

 to avoid every thing that is doubtful ; only we are sur- 

 prised to 1 see, that the same individual who declaimed 

 with such vigour against any kind of method in natu- 

 ral history, should have finished by adopting methods 

 which are neither better, nor perhaps so good as those 

 he found fault with, as if he had been destined to- prove, 

 by his example, how far his earliest -prepossessions were 

 contrary to the nature of things and of man. 



Finally, besides aJI these works- and lectures, Dau- 

 benton had a share in editing the Journal desSavans; 



