BARON CUVIER. 95 



pleasure, seemed to cast his destiny in any other mould than 

 that of science, but who nevertheless found himself irresisti- 

 bly drawn towards it, the surest sign of his extraordinary 

 talents. Long uncertain to what object he should devote 

 his genius, he tried several pursuits, and at length fixed on 

 natural history. From the first he measured it in its whole 

 extent ; he, at one glance, perceived what he had to do ; 

 what was in his own power to effect, and in what he required 

 assistance. I would fain quote all that M. Cuvier says of 

 his predecessor ; but a few of the leading points of the dif- 

 ferent eloges are all that can be offered here, in order to 

 give an idea of their nature, their variety, and their beauty. 

 Continuing to speak of M. de Buffon, M. Cuvier states, 

 that, gifted with the most ardent imagination, and possess- 

 ing a pen that was the echo of that imagination, viewing 

 nature in all its activity and freshness, and deeply impress- 

 ed with it as a whole system of beauty and order, he re- 

 quired some one to inspect the details, some one who was 

 gifted with the power of patient investigation, some one 

 whose love of justice and calm tone of mind would form a 

 sort of counter-balance to his ardour, some one equally de- 

 voted to the cause, but at the same time modest enough to 

 play a secondary part, and leave him in possession of the 

 Ijrilliant fame he coveted. These requisites were all centred 

 in Daubenton, the companion of his youth. Both morally 

 and physically there was the strongest contrast between the 

 two friends, and each was possessed of those qualities which 

 were necessary to moderate and improve the other. Buffon, 

 commanding every thing, eager for immediate results, and 

 imperious by nature, w^as desirous of divining the truth, not 

 of reaching it by patient investigation. His imagination at 

 every instant placed itself between him and nature, and his 

 eloquence seemed to wrestle with his reason before he em- 

 ployed it in captivating others. Daubenton, delicate in 

 constitution, moderate by nature as well as reason, pursued 

 his researches with the most scrupulous circumspection ; he 

 only beUeved and affirmed that which he had seen and 

 touched, and far, very far, from wishing to persuade by 

 other means than facts, he carefully avoided, both in his 

 writings and discourse, every figure of speech, and every 

 fascinating expression. Unalterable in patience, he was 



