Buffon's Natural History. Volume 07 (of 10): Containing a Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, of the Brute Creation, and of Vegetables, Minerals, &c. &cBuffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de
History
Buffon's Natural History. Volume 07 (of 10): Containing a Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, of the Brute Creation, and of Vegetables, Minerals, &c. &c
Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de
Natural history
corners of the mouth, he has twenty-four smaller teeth, six on each
side of each jaw. His ears are always erect; they are in form like
those of the hog, only they are smaller in proportion to his body, and
they are the only hairy parts about him. The end of the tail, like that
of the elephant, is furnished with a tuft of large bristles, very hard
and very solid.
Mr. Parsons, a celebrated physician in London, to whom the republic of
letters is indebted for several discoveries in Natural History, and to
whom I am under obligations for the marks of esteem and friendship
he has honoured me with, published in 1744, a Natural History of the
Rhinoceros, of which I shall give an extract with more willingness,
because whatever Mr. Parsons has written deserves credit and attention.
"Though the rhinoceros was often seen at the spectacles at Rome,
from the time of Pompey to that of Heliogabalus, though many have
been transported into Europe in these last ages, and though Bontius,
Chardin, and Kolbe, have drawn this figure, both in the Indies and
Africa, yet he was so badly represented, and his description was so
incorrect, that he was known very imperfectly, until those which
arrived in London in 1739 and 1741, were inspected, when the errors or
caprices of those who had published figures of him became very visible.
That of Albert Durer, which was the first, is the least conformable to
Nature; it has, nevertheless, been copied by most naturalists; and some
of them have loaded it with false drapery, and foreign ornaments. That
of Bontius is more simple and more true; but the inferior part of the
legs is badly delineated. On the contrary, that of Chardin represents
naturally the foldings of the skin and feet, but in other respects does
not resemble the animal. That of Camerarius is not better; nor is
that drawn from the rhinoceros which was in London in 1685, and which
was published by Carwitham in 1739. Those which were engraved on the
ancient pavement of Præneste, or on the medals of Domitian, are very
imperfect; but they have not the imaginary ornaments given to that of
Albert Durer." Dr. Parsons has taken the trouble to draw this animal
himself in three different views, before, behind, and in profile; and
particular parts from other rhinoceroses which are preserved in the
cabinets of Natural History.
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