From Natural History to the History of Nature: Readings from Buffon and His Critics [Hardcover]

This collection of readings, published for the first time in any language, presents a selection of critical responses to the original publication of theNatural Historyby George Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (16971788). Comments by Albrecht von Haller, Lamoignon de Malesherbes, H?ault de S?chelles, and anonymous reviews from leading periodicals of the period are included. Substantial selections from the first volumes of theNatural Historyand important documents from Buffons earlier works are also included. As much as possible, the authors have used entire selections, rather than brief excerpts.

John Lyon has taught in departments of history, great books, history and philosophy of science, humanities, liberal arts, language and literature, and education. He has served as educational consultant at two universities and held administrative posts in five. He has translated several works from French and published in the history and philosophy of science.

Phillip R. Sloan is professor emeritus in the Program of Liberal Studies and the History and Philosophy of Science Graduate Program at the University of Notre Dame.

The volume is limited, reasonably enough, to the early Buffon and to the critical writings he provoked. And the main aim is to place the early Buffon in his context. But, of course, any future efforts to reinterpret Buffon's career and hisHistoireas a whole will be aided by this view of the man and hismagnum opus. M. J. S. Hodge, Division of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Leeds

This scholarly and conscientious book makes an important . . . contribution to the study and interpretation of Buffon, and so, too, to the Enlightenment generally. What John Lyon and Phillip Sloan have done is present English texts under four headings, so that we have, successively, a selection from Buffons writings prior to the first (1749) volumes of hisHistoire naturelle; pieces from these first l#3