Wol, II.) 
mation, One of the moft ftriking éravis 
in his charaéter, is a fpecies of vanity 
that he does not attempt to conceal. ‘Lo 
give fome inftances; I told him, that be- 
ing determined to pay him a vifit, 1 had 
of late been very converfant with his 
works 5 he afked me, ‘* which of my 
works have you lately read?” I anfwer- 
ed, his Contemplations ‘of Nature. Heim- 
mediately anfwered, ‘* it contains -fome 
paflages which are uncommonly elo- 
guent.’’ He afterwards converfed on the 
news of the day; and, what is very un- 
ufual with him, upon politics; which 
gave him’ an opportunity of reading to 
mea letter he had lately received froin 
Count de MartL_LEsots, concerning the 
affairs of Holland. © Immec liately” af 
terwards he turned the conyerfation to 
.the- death of Monfieur ‘THomas; and 
this was introdwétory to my reading a 
letter his fon had juft received from Ma- 
dame Neckar. In this very fingular 
letter Madame Neckar feemed already 
to have derived great confolation for the 
lofs of her bofom friend, though fhe de- 
picted her grief in the frongett terms, 
by the confideration that’ Monfieut de 
Burron was fiull left toher, whom. fhe 
extols with increafed enthufiafm. Some 
_pafiages he noted with evident marks of 
fatistaction. Having drawn a compari- 
fou! between her two friends, fhe repre - 
fents Monfieur’THomAs a8 the man of 
this age ; but, {peaking of BUFFON, fhe 
denominates him the nav of cvery age. 
‘© The fon of the count had ereéted'a 
column’ in’ the gardens of Montbart, in 
honour of his father 5 it was placed proxi- 
mate toa lofty tower, with this inferip- 
tion : 
EXCELS# TURRI HUMILIS OCOLUMNA. 
PARENTI SUO, FILIUS BUFFON. 1785. 
‘* T am-told that the father was deeply 
affeéted with this mark of refpect; and 
that he fhould fay, “* T his, my fon? | Visual 
monument erected to your own honour.”’ 
*< Our firit interview was interrupted 
by the return of his pain., Upon leav- 
ing the room, he propofed that lus fon 
fhould condué&t me wherever I pleafed, 
fhow me the gardens, columns, &c. the 
young gentleman attended me through 
the: different apartments of the houfe, 
which were in excellent order, and de- 
cently furnithed. The houte contains 
twelve finifhed apartments : but it is ir- 
regularly built. It is more convenient 
than beautiful; yet it makes a ref{pect- 
able anpearance. 
‘¢ From the houfe, we proceeded to the 
gardens, which are in a more eleyated fi- 
Memoirs of the Chevalier de Buffon. 
‘This muft appear fingular ; 
walnut-tree, ftood by the chimney. 
495 
tuation. They confift of thirteen irregu- 
lar terrafles, which command an enchant, 
ing profpect over meadows, adorned with 
meandering rivers; vineyards placed on 
eminences, and the whole city of Mont- 
bart.. Fig-trees, plantain, and other 
trees are int pS over the ground, 
with flowers planted between them. I 
was fhown the aviary in which the 
ftrange birds are kept that he defcribes 
in his. works, as alfo the large covered 
cave, which has long been the repofitory 
of his lions and bears. My curiofity was 
at length gratified with the fight of the 
cabinet, in which this great. man 1s ac- 
cuftomed to labour. ‘This.is placed In,a 
round turret that bears the name of Sant 
Louis. Youatcend by fteps, and enter by 
a green door, which clofes of itfelf.. The 
fimplicity of this apartment, aftonifhed 
me; it is paved with quadrangular ftones, 
has a vaulted roof, uot unlike.thofe in 
ancient chapels, and the walls are painted 
of a green colour. Inthe centre is placed 
a common nen defk, and an arm- 
chair before it: and this is the whole! 
Neither Beales nor paper are to be feen. 
but the’ faét 
is, he occupies this apartment alone dur- 
ing the heat.of the fummer, as it, is. re- 
markably cool. There is another,facred 
place in which he campoted moft.of his 
works ; the Cradle of Natural Hyftory, as 
At was termed by Prince HENRY, where 
he paid our philofopher a vifit, and be- 
fore which J. J. Rovsseau. fell: upon 
his knees, and kiffed the threfhold,; This 
Cabinet hag alfo a green door, like, the 
other, and on each fide of the door ftands 
a fcreen., It is quadrangular,,, the hang~ 
ings are painted with feyeral, birds and 
guadrupeds that-are defer. bed, .in Jhis - 
natural hiftory. Some antique chairs,. co- 
vered, with black leather, a. couch, ia 
table, on which lay, fome Writig-paper, 
and a {mall black. table, conftiute all the 
furniture of this apartment. His writing 
defk, which is very cluinty, and made of 
It 
was open, but contained nothing more 
than a Treatife upon the Magnet, about 
which Monfieur de BurFoN was at that 
time engaged. Upon the defk was placed 
a green filk cap, that he ufed to awear, 
and before it an old-fathioned arm-chair, 
in which he ufed to fit ;: on this lay his 
red morning gown. Above the defk was 
fufpended a copper-plate print .of , Sir 
Isaac Newton. ,In this apartment 
has our philofopher paffed the moft, and 
eft of his days. It is the birth- place of 
moft of his produétions. During che 
3.5 4 forty 
