IV PREFACE. 



cation of possessing neither more nor less understand- 

 ing than the subject on which he thought or wrote, 

 required. 



Several of the discourses, which M. Daubenton 

 delivered before the royal academy of sciences, the 

 royal society of medicine, the royal society of agricul- 

 ture, and the national institute at Paris, on different 

 subjects, which are directly or indirectly treated of in 

 this work, announced not less the ability of the au- 

 thor, than the success and value of his undertaking. 

 The work has been translated and published in Ger- 

 many, Italy, and Spain, where it passed through sev- 

 eral editions : it was first published in France in the 

 year 1782, and several times republished, until it was 

 ordered to be printed and published^ the public ex- 

 pense by the national convention, in the year 1796.* 



Few subjects have been more recommended, or 

 are more interesting or useful, than that which refers 



* The committee of the national convention, which reported the fol- 

 lowing- decree, in speaking 1 of M. Daubenton's treatise on sheep, declar- 

 ed that the methods of improvement therein recommended had stood 

 the test of experience for twenty-five years, and that a great number of 

 persons had successfully practised upon them within that time. 



" .Du proces-verbal de la seance de la Convention nationale, du 1. er, 

 'nivose an 3. 



" La Convention nationale, oui' le rapport de ses comites reunis d'in- 

 " struction publique d'agriculture et des arts. 



"Decreto que le Traite sur les moutons, par le C. en. Daubenton, sera 

 " imprime et tire a deux mille exemplaires, au profit de Pauteur, et aux 

 " frais de la nation, sur les fonds mis a la disposition de la commission 

 " executive de 1'instruction publique, qui demeure charged de rexecu- 

 ~ f tion du present decret." 



Ce projet de decret est adopte. 



