OF COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. 17 



to free forms of government, and that there is nothing pe- 

 culiarly hostile to their progress, even in the most despotic. 

 Absolute rulers indeed, so far from having any interest in 

 shackling or impeding scientific or literary inquiries, have 

 an obvious and strong motive for aiding and promoting 

 them. They afford a safe and harmless employment to 

 many active spirits, who might otherwise take a fancy to 

 look into politics and laws— -to investigate the source, form, 

 duties, and proceedings of governments, and the rights of 

 the governed. A wise despot will be glad to see such dan- 

 gerous topics exchanged for inquiries into the history of a 

 plant or animal; into the properties of a mineral, or the 

 form of a fossil; into the uses of a piece of old Roman or 

 Grecian crockery ; or the appropriation of a mutilated statue 

 to its rightful owner in some heathen goddery. Shutting 

 out the human mind from some of its most interesting and 

 important excursions, he will open every other path as 

 widely as possible. 



When the French Academicians discontinued their re- 

 searches and publications, the opportunities of zoological 

 inquiry, which the royal menageries had afforded them, 

 passed Into the hands of Buffon and Daubenton, who 

 employed them with equal industry, and equal advantage 

 to science. When the direction of the Jardin des Plantes 

 was confided to Buffon, he formed the twofold project, 

 commensurate in boldness and magnificence with his own 

 genius — that of assembling select and well-arranged speci- 

 mens of all natural productions, to exhibit to mankind the 

 fertility and variety of nature — and the formation of a more 

 durable monument, on which he proposed to engrave the 

 history or annals of this admirable nature. The immensity 

 of the design, which he was well aware of, did not discou- 

 rage him from the "attempt : it only excited him to extend 

 his resources by calling in other aid. His discernment 

 discovered the very qualities he wanted, in the modest, 

 patient, persevering, yet zealous Daubenton, who was 

 born at the same place with himself (Montbar in Burgundy), 

 and with whom he had been acquainted from infancy, 



c 



