ELOGE ON BTTFFON. 47 



powers of man are estimated by what he performs ; 

 those of the mind by what he undertakes. In order to 

 form an idea of the immensity of the work in which 

 Buffon engaged, it is sufficient to consider, that the first 

 objects to which men would direct attention (as soon as 

 the establishment of societies and laws, securing the 

 means of easy subsistence, permitted them to entertain 

 other ideas than such as related to the wants of life), 

 must necessarily have been the works of nature, with 

 whose magnificence they were surrounded, and which 

 presented themselves to their view on every side. Those 

 who were disposed to contemplation, having readily 

 remarked the principal phenomena of universal har- 

 mony, and the most obvious properties of organised 

 matter ; this first glance, though without reflection, on 

 the picture of nature, immediatedly inspired, by the 

 surprise it excited, curiosity to penetrate deeper, and 

 become acquainted with details ; and hence men began 

 to observe, to travel, and to write ; but travellers and 

 writers could not all be enlightened men. If it some- 

 times happened, that an individual of sense and judg- 

 ment travelled, for the sake of acquiring knowledge, 

 how many others, ill instructed, credulous, superstitious, 

 untruthful, whom accident, necessity, or cupidity, car- 

 ried far from their native country, brought back from 

 unknown regions a thousand fables for one fact, and 

 whose faithless and inaccurate narrations were compiled 

 without the least discernment ! Accordingly, in propor- 

 tion as useful remarks became multiplied, confounded, 



