46 HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM. 



increased. Individuals offered specimens to the 

 cabinet, where they were seen inscribed with 

 the name of the donor , in preference to re- 

 taining them at home; learned societies eager- 

 ly contributed to the progress of knowledge, 

 by enriching a public deposit ; and sovereigns , 

 as an agreeable present to the king, sent to his 

 Museum duplicates of the curiosities in their 

 own. The academy of sciences , for instance , 

 having acquired Hunaud's anatomical collection, 

 added it to that of Duverney in the garden ; 

 the count d'Angiviller gave Buffon his private 

 cabine t ; the missionaries in China , sent him 

 whatever interesting objects they could pro- 

 cure in a country where they alone could pe- 

 netrate ; the king of Poland presented a very con- 

 siderable collection of minerals; and the empress 

 of Russia , not being able to induce Buffon to 

 visit Saint-Petei sburgh , invited his son , and on 

 his return presented him with several animals 

 from the north , which were wanting to the 

 cabinet , and with various objects of natural 

 history collected in her dominions. 



The government neglected nothing for the 

 perfecting of an establishment which did ho- 

 nour to the nation, as a repository of light and 

 a centre of communication. More considerable 

 funds than had before been granted , were placed 



