485 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE 



movements are fo perfed, that they 



terminate of themfel 



This is furely 



of the world more fuited to the dignity of Na- 

 ture, and the wifdom of its Author, than has 

 yet beert offered by any other fyftem of cofmo- 



logy. 



427. I have often quoted Buffon in the courfe 



d moil commonly for the 



ons : but 1 am 



thefe Illujl rations, ar 

 purpofe of combating his opin 

 very fenfible, neverthelefs, of the obligations un- 

 der which he has laid all the fciences conned- 

 ed with the natural hiftory of the earth'. 



The extent and variety of his knowledge, the 

 juftnefs of his reafonings, the greatnefs of his 



views 



h 



corredl tafte, and manly eloq 



qualified him, better, perhap 



th 



any oth 



individual, to compofe the Hiftory of Nature. 

 The errors into which he has fallen, are almoft 

 all the unavoidable confequences of the circum- 

 ftances in which he was placed ; and if their a- 

 mount is eftimated by the proportion that they 

 bear to the general excellence of the work, they 

 will be reckoned but of fmall account. Buffon 

 began to write when many parts of natural hifto- 

 ry had made but little progrefs ; wheh the quan- 

 tity of authentic information was fmall, and when 

 fcientific and correal defcription was hardly to 

 be found. Many of the greateft and moft im- 

 portant fads in geology were quite unknown, 



and 



P 



a 



bee 



teri 



vvor 



Ha' 



fart 



I 



be 



fori 

 the 

 gre 

 wit 

 attc 

 .ofl 



car 



mo 



arr 

 pr( 

 its 

 th( 



CO' 



Nl 



