1805.) 
tion, the Botanical Garden from the 
ruinous ftate into which it had been fuf- 
fered to fall by the neglect of its former 
fuperintendants, procured for him this 
fituation ; and, dying foon after, Buffon 
became permanently devoted to natural 
hiftory, and beheld that vatt field of 
{cience open -before him, which he af- 
terwards cultivated with fo much glory. 
He furveyed at firft its whole extent, 
he faw at a fingle glance what ought to 
be done, what was in his power to accom- 
plith, and what aid he required from 
others. Natural hiltory, which had been, 
from its origin, incumbered with the in- 
digeited erudition of Aldrovandus, Geff- 
ner, and Johnfon, was afterwards ren- 
dered dry and infipid by the labours of 
mere nomenclators.. The works of Ray, 
Klein, and even Linneus, exhibit only 
barren catalogues, written in a barbarous 
Janguage ; which, notwithftanding their 
apparent precifion, and the care taken by 
their authors to admit nothing that could 
not Le verified by obfervation, neverthe- 
lefs contain numerous errors, not only in 
the details and diftinétive charaéters, but 
alfo inthe method and fy{tematic arrange- 
ment. 
To render this cold and inanimate fyf 
tem pleafant and delightful ; to delineate 
nature, fuch as fhe really is, ever active 
and in motion; to fketch in legible eha- 
racters the admirable fymmetry cf all her 
parts, the laws which conneét them into 
one harmonious whole ; to tranfmit all the 
beauty and brilliancy of the original; fuch 
was the very difficult tafk the author had 
to accomplifh, who might wifh to reftore 
to this enchanting {cience the intereft it 
had loft ; fuch a tafk, the ardent imagina- 
tion of Buffon, his exalted genius, ani- 
mated by an enthufiaftic admiration of the 
beauties cf nature, were alone calculated 
to fulfil. * ° oR ca 
But if truth had not been the object of 
his labours, if he had Javifhed the bril- 
hiant colovrs of his pailet on felfe or in- 
correct defigns, if he had merely combined 
vague and imaginary hypotheles, however 
much, in that cafe, he might have been 
efteemed as an elegant writer, and an inge- 
nious poet ; he could never have ranked as 
a naturalift, or obtained that character 
which, as a reformer of {cience; he was 
fo ambitious to attain. . 
Tt_was, therefore, neceflary to revife, 
collect, end obferve ; to compare the forms 
and the dimenfions.of the objects of bis 
invelligations; and, by difleCtion, to un- 
fold the hidden parts of their orga- 
izations 
Memiirs of M. Daubenton. 
469 
Buffon, perceiving that his ardent and 
lively imagination rendered him unequal 
to fuch laborious and difficult refearches, 
and even that the weaknel(s of his fight ex 
cluded the hope of fucceeding in them, 
endeavoured to difcover a man, who, be-~ 
fides a found judgment, and a certain 
% o t F : 
quicknefs of perception, fhould pof- 
fefs fufficient modefty and devotednefs 
to induce him fo reft fatisfied with acting, 
in appearance, a fubordinate part, and te 
ferve him, as it were, as a hand and an eye 
in the profecution of his undertaking. 
Such a man heat laft found in Daubenton ; 
the companion of his early years. But 
he found in him much imore ‘than he ex- 
pected, or thought neceffary ; for it was 
notin that part alone in which he required 
his affitance, that Daubenton proved of 
the greateft utility. In fact, it may be 
affirmed, that there never was formed an 
affociation more congenial. There exifted, 
equally in phyfics and in morals, between 
the two friends that perfeét contralt, 
which one of our beft writers affures us is 
neceffary to render an union permanent 3 
and each of them seemed to have received 
from nature, precifely the qualities pro» 
per to temper thofe of the other. 
Buffon poffeffed an athletic form, and 
had a dignified appearance; he was by 
nature of an imperious temper, and prone 
to paffion ; equally eager in the purfuit of 
{cience, as in that of pleafure, his ardent 
imagination difpoled him rather to difco- 
ver truth by intuition, than by calm and 
fevere inveftigation. 
With a feeble temperament, and a gen. 
tle afpect, Daubenton, on the contrary, 
poflefled a moderation’ which he owed as 
much to nature, as to his great wifdom. 
All his refearches were conducted with the: 
moft {crupulous accuracy ; he neither be- 
lieved, nor affirmed any thing that had 
not previonlly been fubjeed to the cogni- 
zance of his fenfes; and, far from per- 
fuading others to reft fatished with any 
oiher evidence, he carefully avoided, in his 
difcourles and ‘writings, every image and 
expreffion that might operate to feduce 
them from the {trict path of obfervation 
and experience. Endowed with the molt 
unexampled patience, he never flackened 
in his purfuits, but recommenced them 
with the moft perfevering induftry, until 
he fucceeded ; and, by a method too little 
attended to perhaps by men occupied 
with fcientific purfuirs, all the energies of 
his mind feemed to be exerted, in order to 
guard againit the fallacy of his imagina- 
tion. . ; 
Buffon imagined he had merely ac- 
quired 
