Buffon's Natural History. Volume 05 (of 10): Containing a Theory of the Earth, a General History of Man, of the Brute Creation, and of Vegetables, Minerals, &c. &c

In Short

This volume serves as a foundational exploration of comparative zoology, examining the physical and behavioral characteristics of domestic animals—including horses, oxen, dogs, and swine. By contrasting the "slave" status of domesticated creatures with the liberty of their wild counterparts, the text seeks to define the unique nature of man. It has lasted not merely as a catalogue of species, but as a philosophical meditation on how environment, habit, and internal "organic molecules" shape the essence of living beings, bridging the gap between observation and natural theology.

The Story

The narrative begins with a bold philosophical premise: to understand man, we must first understand the brute. The text asserts that human nature is rendered "incomprehensible" without a baseline comparison to the animal world. Consequently, the inquiry moves away from inanimate matter and plants to focus on creatures that share the greatest affinity with us. The author argues that while animals possess senses and a material "internal sense" that governs their motion, they lack the spiritual substance that grants man the ability to reflect, remember, and anticipate the future. In this view, the animal lives in a perpetual present, guided by immediate sensations, whereas man’s soul allows him to construct complex chains of thought.

From this theoretical opening, the argument transitions into the history of domestic animals. The author posits that domestication is a form of slavery that fundamentally alters an animal's temperament. The text moves through detailed accounts of the horse, the ass, the ox, the sheep, the goat, and the dog. Each animal is analyzed through its physical form, its utility to human society, and its behavioral quirks. The horse is portrayed as proud and impetuous, the ass as patient and stubborn, and the dog as a uniquely intelligent companion essential to human civilization.

As the book progresses, the focus shifts to the influence of climate and breeding. The author examines how geographical location dictates the physical size and temperament of these creatures, noting that horses near the poles are diminutive while those in temperate zones are robust. He further explores the concept of heredity, noting with modern-sounding caution that interbreeding within the same family leads to degeneration—a principle he applies to both animals and the human species.

The work concludes by challenging the notion of "final causes" in nature. Through the example of the pig, the author points out that nature often produces "superabundant" or redundant parts—such as toes that serve no apparent purpose—suggesting that the natural world is not necessarily designed with a strictly utilitarian end in mind. This radical skepticism toward teleology serves as a bridge between the descriptive, often tender observations of animal behavior and the broader scientific inquiry into the physical laws of life. The final pages return to the dog, reflecting on the failure of an experiment to hybridize a wolf and a shepherd’s dog, which serves as a sobering reminder of the limits of human interference in the natural order.

How It Unfolds

The philosophical foundation The author establishes that human knowledge is relational, requiring a clear distinction between the "internal material sense" of animals and the spiritual substance that defines human reason. He argues that while beasts are slaves to sensation, man possesses a soul capable of reflection, memory, and moral judgment.

The anatomy of servitude The text shifts to domestic animals, framing their history as a consequence of human intervention. It defines a "domestic animal" as a slave to human operations, whose manners and temperament have been irrevocably altered by constraint and habit.

The survey of the barnyard The author provides detailed physical and behavioral profiles of the horse, ass, ox, and sheep. He analyzes their teeth, their movement, and their reproductive habits, noting how these traits change according to the richness of their pasture and the harshness of their environment.

The skepticism of purpose The argument pivots to a critique of final causes, using the anatomy of the hog to suggest that nature is not always guided by explicit utility. The author posits that many biological features are indifferent or redundant, urging naturalists to observe how nature acts rather than guessing why.

The failure of hybridization The volume concludes with a personal account of an attempt to breed a wolf with a shepherd’s dog. The experiment ends in violence and death, illustrating the insurmountable barrier between the wild and the domestic, and the inherent volatility of natural instincts.

The People

The "people" in this work are not characters in a drama, but rather the philosophical archetypes and real-world subjects that populate the author's inquiry. The Human Observer (the authorial voice) acts as a detached, analytical guide who wants to categorize the world but finds himself constantly marveling at the "soul of nature." He is hindered by the limitations of 18th-century knowledge, yet he is remarkably insightful about the "brutality of the great" toward the laborers who tend the cattle.

The Animal Subjects—the horse, the dog, the ox—are treated as individual personalities. The Horse is defined by his pride and speed, acting as a metaphor for the untamed spirit. The Dog serves as the ultimate success story of domestication, characterized by a near-human capacity for loyalty and social coordination. The Ass represents the stoic, suffering under-class, bearing abuse with a patience that the author treats with a surprising degree of empathy. Finally, the Peasant/Labourer appears as a silent, exploited figure in the background. The author contrasts the "brutality of the great" with the dignity of the laborer, noting that those who raise the animals often starve while others consume the fruits of their labor. These figures represent the tension between the natural world and the artificial hierarchies of human society.

In Its Own Voice

"Love! thou innate desire! thou soul of nature! thou inexhaustible principle of existence! thou sovereign power, by which every thing breathes, and every thing is renewed!"

The author pauses his scientific analysis to reflect on the universal, biological imperative that drives all living creatures to perpetuate their species.

"A domestic animal is a slave to our amusements or operations."

This sentence encapsulates the author's view on the moral weight of human control over the natural world, setting the stage for his descriptions of various species.

"Nature is therefore far from being influenced by final causes in the conformation of beings; why may she not sometimes give redundant parts, since she so often withholds those which are essential?"

This striking reflection challenges the prevailing scientific orthodoxy of the time, suggesting that nature's processes are not always calculated or purposeful.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is an investigation into the limits of human knowledge and the definition of existence. It asks whether animals are merely "living mechanisms" governed by sensation or if they possess a form of intelligence that mirrors our own. It is about the friction between "nature" and "education"—the way our intervention, through labor and training, warps the original state of the brute. Underlying the detailed descriptions of teeth, limbs, and habits is a fundamental concern with the "spiritual substance" that distinguishes man from the animal. The work argues that while we are physically part of the animal kingdom, our capacity for reflection creates a chasm between us and the rest of creation, one that we are both privileged and burdened to bridge.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the history of ideas or the slow, deliberate prose of the Enlightenment will find much to admire here. There is a distinct pleasure in watching an intellect of the 18th century grapple with the foundations of biology before the advent of evolutionary theory. The writing is warm, observant, and occasionally poetic, moving effortlessly between the practical—such as how a horse gallops—and the profound—such as the nature of memory.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the realities of the period. The book is lengthy and reflects the colonial and patriarchal attitudes of its era. The author’s view on "domestic" animals as "slaves" is a literal, not metaphorical, comparison, and the text occasionally includes accounts of animal treatment that will strike a contemporary reader as harsh. Furthermore, the reliance on long, unbroken passages of descriptive anatomy can be demanding. Yet, what stays with you is the author’s genuine curiosity about the world. He writes with a sense of wonder that transcends his outdated science, reminding us that the act of observing nature is itself an act of self-discovery. If you are willing to look past the occasional period-specific bias, you will find a thoughtful, deeply considered meditation on what it means to be alive.