178 MEMOIRS OF 



parts to the " Histoire Natiirelle," although his 

 name was never again attaclied to the work. 

 His intimacy with his friend was also renewed, 

 and continued unbroken till the death of Buffon. 



The efforts of Daubenton were far from beino; 

 confined to the above-mentioned pursuits, and 

 one of the other objects of his endeavours was 

 an attempt to improve the wool of France, by 

 which means he obtained a popularity which 

 was very useful to him before the Assembly of 

 the Sans Culottes. A certificate of civism was 

 necessary for his personal safety at that stormy 

 period, to obtain which, his titles of Professor 

 and Academician were of little avail ; he was at 

 length presented under the title of Shepherd, 

 and in this character he protected the savant. 

 The curious document of this transaction is still 

 in existence. 



In 1773, M. Daubenton obtained permission 

 for one of the professorships of the College de 

 France to be changed into a chair of Natural 

 History, and also that lectures should be given 

 at the Museum. It was an affecting sight to 

 behold this old man encircled by his disciples, 

 who received his words with a religious atten- 

 tion, a veneration which converted them into so 

 many oracles ; to hear his weak and trembling 



