204 MEMOIR OF DAUBENTON. 



the work that contained them, and for the sole reason 

 that it did contain them, the names of work of gold, a 

 work truly classical ; they regarded with indifference 

 the author at Paris : and some of those flatterers, who 

 creep before renown as before power, because renown is 

 likewise power, succeeded in making Buifon believe, 

 that he would gain by getting rid of his importunate 

 fellow labourer. We have even heard since the secre- 

 tary of an illustrious academy assert, that naturalists 

 alone might regret, if he had followed this advice ! 



Buffon therefore caused an edition of the Natural 

 History to be prepared, in thirteen volumes 12to., from 

 which not only the anatomical part was excluded, but 

 also the description of the exterior of animals, which 

 Daubenton had drawn up for the large edition ; and as 

 nothing was substituted, it followed that this work gives 

 no idea of the form, nor colour, nor distinctive charac- 

 ters of animals ; so that if this small edition had alone 

 resisted the prejudices of the times, as the multitude 

 of impressions now published would lead us to believe, 

 we would no longer find much better means of recog- 

 nising the animals of which the author speaks, than are 

 to be found in Pliny and Aristotle, who have likewise 

 neglected the detail of descriptions. 



Buifon determined to appear alone in what he after- 

 wards published," both on birds and minerals. Be- 

 sides the affront, Daubenton thereby suffered a con- 

 siderable loss. He might have remonstrated ; for this 

 undertaking on natural history had been concerted in 



