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Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon Quotes

Naturalist

Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, was a French naturalist, mathematician, and encyclopedist. He is renowned for his comprehensive work on natural history, 'Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière', which was a cornerstone of the Enlightenment.

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Famous Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon Quotes

“Let us investigate more closely this property common to animal and plant, this power of producing its likeness, this chain of successive existences of individuals, which constitutes the real existence of the species.”

Real Individual Animal Common Existence Property Plant Species Chains

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

“Although the works of the Creator may be in themselves all equally perfect, the animal is, as I see it, the most complete work of nature, and man is her masterpiece.”

Men May God Science Nature Perfect Animal Creator Masterpiece Man And Nature

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

“One can descend by imperceptible degree from the most perfect creature to the most shapeless matter, from the best-organised animal to the roughest mineral.”

Matter Science Nature Natural Perfect Animal Creatures Degrees Minerals Organised

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

“The greatest marvel is not in the individual. It is in the succession, in the renewal and in the duration of the species that Nature would seem quite inconceivable. This power of producing its likeness that resides in animals and plants, this form of unity, always subsisting and appearing eternal, this procreative virtue which is perpetually expressed without ever being destroyed, is for us a mystery which, it seems, we will never be able to fathom.”

Seems Able Form Science Individual Nature Natural Animal Virtue Mystery Eternal Plant Unity Species Destroyed Renewal Succession Appearing Duration Fathom

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

“The cat is the only animal which accepts the comforts but rejects the bondage of domesticity.”

Humanity Animal Accepting Comfort Cat Rejects Bondage Domesticity

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

“He [man] abuses equally other animals and his own species, the rest of whom live in famine, languish in misery, and work only to satisfy the immoderate appetite and the still more insatiable vanity of this human being who, destroying others by want, destroys himself by excess.”

Men Want Humans Stills Human Beings Animal He Man Abuse Misery Species Vanity Appetite Destroying Excess Animal Rights Famine Insatiable Languish

Author:Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

About the Author

Born: September 7, 1707
Died: April 16, 1788
Known for: Naturalist
Quotes: 38

Books & Sources

A Natural History, General and Particular: Containing the History and Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, the Brute Creation, Vegetables, Minerals, Etc. EtcRelated source material

Natural History, General and ParticularRelated source material

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