ELOGE ON BUTTON. 45 



the human mind is capable of cultivating ; no science, 

 art, or even trade or profession, having to do with the 

 wants or conveniences of life, which has not either an 

 intimate connection with, or an obvious relation to the 

 vast science named Natural History ; and the study of 

 vvhich. consequently, more or less attentively, is not in- 

 dispensable to any one who pretends to give a complete 

 eystem. Now, in each of these departments, a detailed 

 examination of one of Buffon's books, would enable us 

 every where to perceive, in its author, the man of genius 

 or the man of taste ; or rather, by this kind of analysis, 

 we would discover many great men in Buffon alone. 

 But even though I were permitted, in a mere essay like 

 this, to make use of such divisions, or others less multi- 

 plied, I should venture to avoid them ; for such exten- 

 sive and varied kinds of knowledge, the union of which 

 in one individual was almost inconceivable, but yet 

 necessary to explain and describe the whole of nature, 

 are every where found in this work so closely connected, 

 that they can scarcely be separated even in thought ; 

 to distinguish them in this manner would prevent us 

 feeling all the admiration which Buffon ought to in- 

 spire, as it is their assemblage that is the most admir- 

 able mark of the sublimity of his genius ; but in other 

 respects his own example teaches us how to regard 

 him. It is from himself that we must learn to measure 

 objects so great as his genius. Let us avoid, then, 

 while praising him, the methods which he himself de- 

 spised. Let us attempt to look on him as he looked o* 



