The Compte De Buffon’s works as a French naturalist were said to inspire naturalists for generations, some of the most famous ones including Georges Cuvier and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. Cuvier’s book Histoire Naturelle consisted of 36 quarto volumes. Further natural history books were published using his notes and research after his death.
As a respected author of natural history books, it has been said that Buffon was the father of all thought in natural history in the second half of the 18th century. Buffon had also been director at the Jardin du Roi, which has since been renamed the Jardin des Plantes.
Buffon’s natural history books Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière consistes of 36 volumes. A further volume based on his natural history books was released with the assistance of his notes. The natural history books were said to be read by almost every educated person in Europe. Buffon’s natural history books have been translated widely which in turn make him one of the most read authors in history.
Buffon noted during his examinations that different regions across the world, even if they have the same type of environment, still have distinct plants and animals. His theory would later go on to be known as Buffon’s Law. He would argue in volume 14 of his natural history books that the world’s quadrupeds had developed from just 38 quadrupeds.
It is statements such as this that have made Buffon seen to be a precursor of Darwin. As well as natural history books, Buffon would also go on the study the solar system in Les époques de la nature.
Buffon’s career had started when he moved to Paris in 1732. It was here he met Voltaire, a French philosopher famous for his wit. He had actually made his mark in mathematics. The problem known as Buffons Needle was named after Buffon’s involvement with mathematics.
His talent as a writer had led him to join the Academie Francaise in 1753. Although for all his talents he was also labelled a phase monger because of his many subject matters. Buffons venture into studying the Solar System led him to speculate that the planets had actually been created by way of a collision with a comet. Despite his intelligence, he did go on to say that at the time the earth was only 75,000 years old. Because of these ideas being condemned by the Sorbonne he issued a retraction.