Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
A prominent naturalist who authored the monumental 'Histoire Naturelle', a 36-volume encyclopedia that influenced generations of naturalists.
Most quoted
"The first truth that results from this examination is that the Earth is a planet, a star, which has its own movement, which turns around the Sun, and which, consequently, is subject to the same laws as all the other planets."
— from Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, 1749
"Man is the only animal that can laugh and weep; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are, and what they ought to be."
— from Attributed
"Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be."
— from Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, 1749
All quotes by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (406)
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The history of species is a history of transformations.
Nature, in her grand operations, proceeds by degrees, and, one might say, by nuances. She never makes leaps.
The true method of knowing nature is to observe it with attention, to compare its productions, and to generalize its phenomena.
Man, in his pride, believes himself to be the master of the universe, while he is only a small part of it.
The most beautiful discoveries are those which, by their simplicity, reveal the most profound truths.
Time is the only thing that belongs to us; let us use it well.
I have always believed that the greatest pleasure in life is to do what people say you cannot do.
The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at the wisdom of its author.
One must have courage to be happy.
The greatest genius is that which is capable of the greatest patience.
The history of nature is a vast and inexhaustible subject.
True knowledge consists in knowing what one knows and what one does not know.
The most beautiful works of art are those which imitate nature.
To write well is to think well, to feel well, and to render well.
The earth is a living being, which breathes and has its own life.
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
The universe is an immense ocean, of which we know only a few drops.
The greatest pleasure is to be able to do good.
Observation is the mother of all knowledge.
Contemporaries of Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
Other Biologys born within 50 years of Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–1788).