BUFFON.

THIS celebrated naturalist was born at Montbard, in France, September 7, 1707: his father was Counsellor of the parliament of Bourgoigne. The first labours of Buffon were translations, a singular fact not found in the life of any man destined to great renown. He wished to perfect himself in the English language, to exercise himself in writing his own, to study in Newton the calculation of infinites; in Hales, the attempt towards a new system of physics; and he accordingly translated Newton's Fluxions, and Hales's Vegetable Statics. Buffon at first appeared to be entirely devoted to the mathematics; but he soon felt that nature called him to other studies. Hence, as a naturalist, he studied in the woods of which he was proprietor, and strictly followed that severe and scrupulous severity which takes nothing for its guides but calculation and observation.

In 1739, Buffon was nominated intendant of the King's garden, and the duties of this place fixed his taste for the remainder of his life; hence, without renouncing any study, it was only in relation to natural history that he permitted himself to contemplate them. Before writing the history of each species of animals, Buffon thought he ought to study the qualities common to all which distinguish them from beings of other classes. In his descriptions he was a poet; but, like the great poets, he knew how to render the delineation of objects interesting, by artfully mingling moral ideas. Few men were so laborious as Buffon, or used such continued regularity. He suffered but little from criticisms, because he never replied to any; simple in his private life, and easily accommodating to gay good nature, though fond of magnificence, and all that belonged to grandeur, he preserved that exalted politeness, those exterior deferences for rank and place, which in his youth were the manners of cultivated society.

In 1752, he married Mademoiselle St. Belin, whose birth, personal attractions, and solid virtues, compensated in his eyes for want of fortune. Buffon, though advanced in years, still possessed a majestic air and a handsome figure; and, being always uniform in his manner of living, age seemed to be prolonged for him beyond its ordinary bounds. By his wife he had but one son, M. le Comte Buffon, major in the regiment of Angoumois, who fell a victim to the atrocious villany of Robespierre during his sanguinary usurpation. The stone, for which Buffon refused to undergo any operation, at length terminated his useful employment and existence, though he preserved the freedom of his mind and the vigour of his reason till within a few days of his death. He died April 16, 1788, in the eighty-first year of his age.

He published his Translation of "Hales's Vegetable Statics" in 1735, and that of "Newton's Fluxions" in 1735. His celebrated work of "Natural History, general and particular," commenced in 1749, and was finished in 1767; it consisted of fifteen volumes quarto, or thirty-one volumes in twelves. To these were afterwards added "Supplements," amounting to several more volumes. In the purely anatomical part of this work, he was assisted by D'Aubenton; the rest was wholly his own composition. In 1771, his "History of Birds" began to appear. In the composition of this work he made great use of Montbelliard, who was the principal author of the two first quarto volumes: the other four were the joint production of both, and the three last were written by Buffon, assisted by the Abbé Bexon in forming the nomenclature and drawing up the descriptions. The whole of the works of this elegant and accurate author have been and are still received among the standard and classical books of this country. A recent edition has been published at Paris, edited by Sonnini, consisting of one hundred and fourteen volumes, containing numerous additions, and descriptions of many new birds and quadrupeds discovered since the time of Buffon.

BURKE.

EDMUND BURKE, one of the greatest orators ever known, and an eminently elegant and energetic political writer, was born in Dublin, the first day of 1730. He was second son of an attorney: and educated at Ballytore school; and Trinity college, Dublin.

In 1753, he came to London; and, entering himself of the Middle Temple, studied with such assiduity as greatly to injure his health: when his countryman, Dr. Nugent, finding him dangerously ill, removed him to his own house; where the kind and anxious attention of the worthy physician's daughter, Miss Jane Mary, made so powerful an impression on the patient's heart, that they were married soon after his recovery.

In 1756, he published his first regular work, a Vindication of Natural Society; in which, by an ironical preference of natural to artificial or political society, with a felicitous imitation of Bolingbroke's own style and manner, he exposes the false philosophy of that author. In 1757, his Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful completely established his literary fame; and, in 1758, he proposed to Mr. Dodsley the plan of the Annual Register. He went, in 1761, to Dublin, where he obtained a pension of 3004.; and now regularly entered on the great theatre of political life. The marquis of Rockingham, in 1765, being first lord of the treasury, made him his private secretary; munificently enabled him to purchase the Buckinghamshire estate; and procured him to be returned member for Wendover. His eloquence excited universal admiration, and soon occasioned him to be regarded as chief orator of the Rockingham party, in the house of commons. From the commencement of the American war he was a constant advocate for the colonists; and, in 1774, freely elected member for Bristol: by favouring, however, against the immediate interests of his constituents, the commerce of Ireland-and, contrary to popular opinion, the cause of the Roman catholics-he found it necessary, in 1780, to secure his seat for Malton. In the short period of the Rockingham administration, he was paymaster-general; and, on the famous coalition with lord North, shared the success and the censures of his colleagues. Of Pitt's administration, he was a vehement opposer; more particularly on the regency bill, when his violence of temper led him to outrage all propriety. On this occasion, as well as in several stages of that wonderful display of gigantic ability evinced in the impeachment and protracted trial of governor Hastings, he certainly degraded himself, beyond the power of, probably, even his own ultimate approval. On the fall of the French monarchy, however, contemplated with such satisfaction by his political friends, the early opponent of Bolingbroke resolved that he would no longer "to party give up what was meant for mankind." Accordingly, in October 1790, he published his famous Reflections on the French Revolution, of which eighteen thousand copies were sold in a few weeks. Having formally renounced the party, by his Appeal from the New to the Old Whigs; on the acquittal of governor Hastings, he vacated his seat, and retired to Beaconsfield: where, the beginning of 1794, he had to lament the death of his brother Richard; which was followed, August 2, by the still severer stroke of losing his only son. Soon after, his majesty granted him pensions to the amount of 3,7004; the charge of receiving which, as the price of changing his principles, and deserting his friends, he ably repelled, in a letter of eloquent and keen sarcasm, addressed to Earl Fitzwilliam. His last work was the celebrated Thoughts on a Regicide Peace. He died, July 8, 1797; and was interred, as he had directed, in Beaconsfield church, close to his son and brother. His entire works, published in five volumes quarto, or ten octavo, will for ever prove a most sublime and beautiful monument of solid glory; whatever may be the inscription finally accorded, by the pen of history, respecting the extent of utility, the consistency, and the disinterestedness, of his political character.

THIS true son of poetic inspiration was born on the 25th of January 1759, on the banks of Doon, about two miles from Ayr, in Scotland. Being sent to school about six, at eleven years of age he had made considerable progress in reading and writing; but the rules of arithmetic he was taught by his father, who was a gardener by profession, in the winter evenings.

Having acquired a strong propensity for reading any books that fell in his way, it was long before he shewed any attachment to poetry, notwithstanding his acquaintance with an antient beldam, who had the largest collection in the country of tales and songs, concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, witches, &c. In his seventeenth year, he went to a country dancing-school, though much in opposition to his father's sentiments, as a rigid presbyterian. After his death, Burns, having attained his twenty-fourth year, became anxious to be fixed in a situation to enable him to marry. His brother Gilbert and he had held a small portion of land from their father some years, on which they raised flax. Robert commenced flax-dresser, but his shop, taking fire, was utterly destroyed, and he was left not worth sixpence. The brothers afterwards settled upon a small farm at Mosgiel, where buying bad seed, and a late harvest, nearly ruined the concern, and Burns was on the point of setting out for Jamaica, in the situation of an overseer. Fortunately, he had not only cultivated his poetical talents during these vicissitudes of life, but had lately published a volume of poems by subscription. He had paid his passage; and his chest of clothing, &c. was on the way to Greenock, when a letter from Dr. Blacklock, assuring him that he would meet with encouragement in Edinburgh for a second edition, completely changed his intentions. To add to his misfortunes, the parents of Miss Jean Armour, the young woman upon whom he had set his affections, refused their consent to his marriage; but soon after his arrival in Edinburgh, his poems procured him the admiration of persons of rank and power; and, in a short time, his name was celebrated all over the kingdom.

About this time he erected, at his own expense, a monument in the Canon-gate churchyard, at Edinburgh, to the memory of the unfortunate poet, Ferguson. Here Burns spent his days in the company of his admirers, and his nights in dissipation: however, on settling with his publisher, he found himself master of nearly five hundred pounds, two hundred of which he immediately advanced to his brother Gilbert, who had taken on himself the support of his aged mother, and was still struggling with many difficulties in his farm. Burns then engaged in another farm on his own account, and having been previously recommended to the Board of Excise, he vainly hoped to unite with success the labours of the farmer with the duties of the exciseman. Some time previous to this, his marriage with the beloved object of his heart had taken place, but ultimately his farm was in a great measure abandoned to servants, his love of convivial company gaining upon him. In 1795, he lost his only daughter; and, twice attacked by a severe rheumatic fever, the last of these terminated the life and sufferings of this great and eccentric genius, on the 21st of July 1796, in the thirty-eighth year of his age, at Dumfries, in Scotland.

After all, his integrity and honest pride, with the prudence and frugality of his wife, had prevented him from running in debt; however, a considerable fund was raised for his widow and children, and the profits of Dr. Currie's edition of his works, in four large volumes, being devoted to the same purpose, Mrs. Burns has been put in possession of a handsome annuity; and thus one of the best monuments has been raised to his memory.