布封是18世紀法國著名的博物學家和作家。他堅持以唯物主義的思想看待地球與生物的起源和發(fā)展，被譽為“和大自然一樣偉大的天才”。
《Natural History（自然史）》是一部博物志，書中以大量的科學觀察為基礎，從唯物主義的角度對自然界的各種現(xiàn)象做了詳細的描述。書中提到的“物種可變”和“進化”的思想對當時的社會具有積極的啟蒙作用，也對后來達爾文提出“物種起源”與“進化論”產(chǎn)生了深遠影響。
《Natural History（自然史）》原著為法文，共44卷。本版為英國學者James Smith Barr在1797-1807年翻譯出版的10卷冊，是原著中*精華的部分，主要包括地球的理論、動物史、人類史、家畜馴養(yǎng)史，并簡單介紹了礦物和植物等內(nèi)容。
《Natural History（自然史）》可供生物學、生態(tài)學、地質(zhì)學等專業(yè)的高校師生和相關科研人員以及博物愛好者閱讀。
在已探知的星球中，唯地球有人類。人類社會和自然界構成了這顆星球的整個世界。人類來源于自然，依賴于自然，不斷地探索自然，了解自己從何而來，向何而去？為什么在這萬物共生的自然界脫穎而出，成為這個世界的主宰？又怎樣與這個世界大家庭和睦相處，適應客觀發(fā)展？……只有了解過去，才能更好地認識現(xiàn)在；懂得了過去和現(xiàn)在，才能主動地面對未來。歷史是最好的教科書，在《地球簡史》《人類簡史》《時間簡史》等紛紛面世的當代，人們不由地把目光又投向260多年前就誕生了的《自然史》，這部洋洋數(shù)百萬字的曠世巨著，開辟了科學史作的先河，它從行星到地球，從空氣到海洋，從動物到人類，……天、地、生、人，無所不包，海、陸、空，面面俱到，是一部記述自然的百科全書。
書中全面論述了地球理論和地球歷史，展現(xiàn)了風、火、水、潮、雷、震（地震）、光、熱等各種自然現(xiàn)象；對人和生物的論述更是生動形象，豐富多彩。從生命的起源、器官的發(fā)育、青春期的特點，到機能的退化，直至死亡，把人類生息繁衍的過程講得有聲有色。對生物，特別是動物的描繪投下了重重筆墨，占據(jù)了大量篇幅，天上飛的，地上長的，野生的，馴養(yǎng)的，食肉的，食草的，大到熊、馬，小至鼠、兔，畜、禽，鳥、獸，花、草、樹、木，樣樣俱全，活靈活現(xiàn)，既有理性，又有情趣，好像無論哪種野性的動物都可以成為人類的寵物和朋友。法國著名思想家盧梭是這樣評價的：“布封以異常平靜而又悠然自得的語言歌頌了自然界中所有的重要物品，呈現(xiàn)出造物者的尊嚴與靈性。他具有那個世紀最美的文筆�！�
萬物皆有道，自然最奇妙。幾乎所有涉及自然的事物都可以從《自然史》汲取營養(yǎng)，得到啟示。讀這類名著，既能增長知識，豐富閱歷，又能賞心悅目，閑情逸致。即使歷史已過去了幾百年，社會發(fā)生了巨變，也未失去這部歷史巨著的價值和魅力。這就是一部不朽之作的歷史地位。布封在書中提出“物種可變”和“進化”的思想，被生物進化論創(chuàng)始人達爾文稱為“以現(xiàn)代科學眼光對待這個問題的第一人”。
哲語說，文如其人�！蹲匀皇贰返淖髡卟挤�，全名喬治，路易，勒克萊爾.布封（Georges-Louis Leclerc，Comtede Buffon，1707-1788），如同他的不朽著作一樣，也有一部不尋常的經(jīng)歷。他生于法國，自幼喜好自然科學，特別是數(shù)學。1728年法律專業(yè)畢業(yè)后，又學了兩年醫(yī)學。20歲時就先于牛頓發(fā)現(xiàn)了二項式定理；26歲成為法蘭西科學院機械部的助理研究員，翻譯并出版了英國博物學者海爾斯的著作《植物生理與空氣分析》和牛頓的《微積分術》；1739年，32歲的他轉為法蘭西科學院數(shù)學部的副研究員，并被任命為“巴黎皇家植物園及御書房”的總管；1753年成為法蘭西科學院院士。他用40年的時間寫出了長達36卷的《自然史》，后又由他的學生整理出版了8卷，共44卷。此書一出版，就轟動了歐洲的學術界，各國很快有了譯本。1777年，法國政府給布封建了一座銅像，上面寫著：“獻給和大自然一樣偉大的天才�！边@是對布封的崇高評價。
《自然史》原著為法文，這里出版的是英國學者James Smith Barr在1797-1807年翻譯的英文版10卷冊，選取的是原著中最精華的部分。發(fā)行這樣的英文版高級作品、高級讀物，就像外文書籍、外文刊物一樣，自然面對的也是高水平的讀者和館藏者，希望他們既可以接近原汁原味地欣賞原著，感受自然的魅力，受到自然科學和文學藝術的熏陶，同時又能自然而然地提高英文素養(yǎng)和寫作水平。在廣大知識分子外語水平普遍提高的今天，這樣的科學傳播形式也許會受到越來越多讀者的青睞。
Proof of the Theory of the Earth
ARTICLE XI． Of Seas an，d Lakes
Article XII． Of the Ftux and Reflux
Article XIII． Of the Inequalities at the Bottom of the Sea， and of Currents
Article XIV．Of regular Winds
Article XV． Of irregular Winds， Hurricanes， and other Phenomena， caused by the Agitation of the Sea and Air
Article XVI．Of Volcanos and Earthquakes
Article XVII． Of New Islands， Caverns， Perpendicular Clefts
Article XVIII． Of the Effects of Rain-of Marshes， Subterraneous Wood and Water
Article XIX．Of the Changes of Land into Sea and Sea into Land
Conclusion of the Theory of the Earth
History of Animals
Chapter I． A comparison between Animals， Vegetables and other
Productions of Nature
Chapter II．Of Reproduction in general
Chapter III． Of Nutrition and Growth
Chapter IV． Of the Generation， of Animals
Chapter V． Exposition of the Systems in Generation
《Natural History（2 自然史第2卷）》：
WATER has but one natural motion； like other fluids it always descends from the higher into the lower places， unless obstructed by some intervening obstacle. When it reaches the lowest place it remains there calm and motionless， at least without some foreign cause agitates and disturbs it. All the waters of the ocean are collected in the lowest parts of the surface of the earth， of course the motions of the sea must proceed from external causes， the principal of which is the flux and reflux， which is alternatively made in a contrary direction， and from which results a general and continual motion in the sea from east to west. These two motions have a constant and regular relation with the motions of the moon. When the moon is new， or at the full， this motion from east to west is more sensible， as well as that of the tides， which upon most shores ebb and flow every six hours and a half： that it is always high tide whenever the moon is at the meridian， whether above or below the horizon of the place； and low tide when the moon rises or sets. The motion of the sea from east to west is constant and invariable， because the ocean in its flux moves from east to west， and impels towards the west a great quantity of water， and the reflux seems to be made in a contrary direction， by reason of the small quantity of water then driven towards the west； the flux， therefore， must rather be regarded as a swelling， and the reflux as a subsiding of the water， which instead of its disturbing the motion from east to west， produces and continually restores it， although in fact it is stronger during the rise， and weaker during the fall， from the above reason.
The principal circumstances of this motion are， 1. That it is more sensible when the moon is new， or at the full， than in the quadratures： in spring and in autumn it is also more violent than at any other time of the year； and it is weaker in the solstices， which is occasioned by the combination of the attraction of the moon and sun. 2. The wind often alters the direction and quantity of this motion， particularly that which constantly blows from the same quarter. It is the same with respect to large rivers which convey their waters into the sea and produce a current there， often extending severalleagues， which is strongest when the direction of the wind agrees with the general motion. Of this we have an example in the Pacific Ocean， where the motion from east to west is constant and very perceptible. 3. We must remark that when one part of a fluid moves， the whole mass receives the motion， now in the motion of the tides a great part of the ocean moves in a very sensible manner， and consequently the ocean is agitated by this motion throughout its whole extent.
Perfectly to comprehend this we must attend to the nature of the power which produces the tides. We have observed that the moon acts upon the earth by a power called attraction by some， and by others gravity： this force penetrates through the globe， is exactly proportioned to the quantity of matter， and decreases as the square of the distance increases. Let us next examine what must happen to the waters when the moon is at the meridian of any one place.-The surface of the waters being immediately under the moon is then nearer that planet than any other part of the globe； hence this part of the sea must be elevated towards the moon， by forming an eminence， the summit of which must be opposite to the moon's centre， for the formation of this eminence the waters at the bottom， as well as at the surface， contribute their share， in proportion to the proximity they are in of the moon， which acts upon them in the inverse ratio of the squares of their distances： thus the surface of that part of the sea is first raised； the surface of the neighbouring parts will be likewise elevated， but to a less height， and the water at the bottom of all these parts will be raised by the same cause； so that all this part of the sea growing higher and forming an eminence， it is necessary that the water of the remote parts， and on which this force of attraction does not act， proceeds with precipitation to replace the waters which are thus elevated and drawn towards the moon.
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