38 HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM. 



Buff on had now attained the meridian of his 

 glory : his works, which assigned him the first 

 rank amongst the authors of his time , had dif- 

 fused an universal taste for natural history , 

 while the collections he had formed, facilitated 

 the study of this science. In foreign countries 

 also, he enjoyed the highest reputation; and the 

 authors of new observations or discoveries, ea- 

 gerly communicated them to a man of genius f 

 by whom to be mentioned was a sort of pass- 

 port to immortality. 



The moment was arrived for realising his 

 long meditated projects, when, in 177 1 ,he was 

 attacked by an illness which caused the most 

 serious apprehensions for his life. During his 

 convalescence, he learned that the count d'Angi 

 viller had obtained the reversion of his place 

 of intendant of the King's Garden. Buff on was 

 deeply wounded by this proceeding : M. d'An- 

 giviller however succeeded in regaining his 

 friendship : as his place of director of the king's 

 buildings, and chief of the academies of painting 

 and sculpture , required him to point out the 

 great men whose statues were to be executed 

 in marble at the public expence , he asked per- 

 mission of the king to erect one to Buff on. 

 This was the most flattering distinction that 

 could be conferred on a living man, as it had 



