BARON CUVIER. 177 



ill the Academy, and M. de BufFon was obliged 

 to tax the good offices of Madame de Pompadour, 

 in order to preserve Daubenton in the rank 

 which was due to his labours. At length the 

 insinuations of their enemies seemed to take 

 effect, and even Buffon began to think, that it 

 would be more advantageous for himself to pub- 

 lisli his " Histoire Naturelle," in thirteen vo- 

 lumes duodecimo, taking away not only the 

 anatomical parts but the external descriptions ;. 

 and he also determined to appear alone before 

 the public when treating of birds and minerals. 

 To act thus was not only to wound Daubenton's 

 feelings, but to injure him in a pecuniary sense. 

 He might, with reason, have pleaded that it was 

 an enterprise common to both ; but had he as- 

 serted his right, he must have quarrelled with 

 the director of the Jardin ; he must have quitted 

 the scenes he had, as it were, created, and 

 which were inseparable from his existence. He 

 therefore passed over tlie loss and the affront, 

 and continued his labours, in a measure consoled 

 by the regret expressed by all naturalists, when 

 they saw the History of Birds appear without his 

 exact descriptions. It is worthy of mention, 

 that to such a degree did he carry his spirit of 

 forgiveness, that he afterwards contributed some 



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