u hunted out of France, and his books
burnt by the public executioner, but there was "hardly a single man of
letters of that time who escaped arbitrary imprisonment" (p. 270); among
others thus imprisoned was Diderot. At this time (1750-1765) Malesherbes
(born 1721, guillotined 1794), one of the "best instructed and most
enlightened men of the century," was Directeur de la Libraire. "The
process was this: a book was submitted to him; he named a censor for it;
on the censor's report the director gave or refused permission to print
or required alterations. Even after these formalities were complied
with, the book was liable to a decree of the royal council, a decree of
the parliament, or else a lettre-de-cachet might send the author to the
Bastille" (Morley's _Rousseau_, p. 266).

[126] _Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere._ 1st edition.
Imprimerie royale. Paris: 1749-1804, 44 vols. 4to. Tome iv., p. 357.
This is the best of all the editions of Buffon, says Flourens, from
whose _Histoire des Travaux et des Idees de Buffon_, 1st edition (Paris,
1844), we take some of the quotations and references, which, however, we
have verified. We have also quoted some passages from Buffon translated
by Butler in his "Evolution, Old and New" (London, 1879).

[127] _L. c._, tome iv., p. 384 (1753). This is the first volume on the
animals below man.

[128] Tome xi., p. 369 (1764).

[129] Tome xii., p. 3 (1764).

[130] Tome v., p. 59 (1755).

[131] Tome xiii., p. vii. (1765).

[132] Osborn adopts, without warrant we think, Isidore Geoffroy
St. Hilaire's notion, stating that he "shows clearly that his opinions
marked three periods." The writings of Isidore, the son of Etienne
Geoffroy, have not the vigor, exactness, or depth of those of his
father.

[133] Tome xiv., p. 326 (1766).

[134] Tome vi., pp. 59-60 (1756).

[135] Butler, _l. c._, pp. 145-146.

[136] Tome ix., p. 127, 1761 (_ex_ Butler).

[137] Tome ix., p. 127, 1761 (_ex_ Butler).

[138] Tome vi., p. 252, 1756 (quoted from Butler, _l. c._, pp. 123-126).

[139] Quoted from Osborn, who takes it from De Lanessan.

[140] Butler, _l. c._, p. 122 (from Buffon, tome v., 1755).

[141] Tome xiv., p. 335 (1766).

[142] Tome i., p. 13.

[143] Tome xiv., p. 358.

[144] Tome xiii., p. i.

[145] Tome xiii., p. ix.

[146] _Etudes progressives d'un Naturaliste_, etc., 1835, p. 107.

[147] _Ibid._

[148] _Sur l'Influence du Monde ambiant pour modifier les For