Natural History（2 自然史第2卷）_（法）布封著_9787040483123

　　布封是18世纪法国著名的博物学家和作家。他坚持以唯物主义的思想看待地球与生物的起源和发展，被誉为“和大自然一样伟大的天才”。

　　《Natural History（自然史）》是一部博物志，书中以大量的科学观察为基础，从唯物主义的角度对自然界的各种现象做了详细的描述。书中提到的“物种可变”和“进化”的思想对当时的社会具有积极的启蒙作用，也对后来达尔文提出“物种起源”与“进化论”产生了深远影响。

　　《Natural History（自然史）》原著为法文，共44卷。本版为英国学者James Smith Barr在1797-1807年翻译出版的10卷册，是原著中*精华的部分，主要包括地球的理论、动物史、人类史、家畜驯养史，并简单介绍了矿物和植物等内容。

　　《Natural History（自然史）》可供生物学、生态学、地质学等专业的高校师生和相关科研人员以及博物爱好者阅读。

　　在已探知的星球中，唯地球有人类。人类社会和自然界构成了这颗星球的整个世界。人类来源于自然，依赖于自然，不断地探索自然，了解自己从何而来，向何而去？为什么在这万物共生的自然界脱颖而出，成为这个世界的主宰？又怎样与这个世界大家庭和睦相处，适应客观发展？……只有了解过去，才能更好地认识现在；懂得了过去和现在，才能主动地面对未来。历史是最好的教科书，在《地球简史》《人类简史》《时间简史》等纷纷面世的当代，人们不由地把目光又投向260多年前就诞生了的《自然史》，这部洋洋数百万字的旷世巨著，开辟了科学史作的先河，它从行星到地球，从空气到海洋，从动物到人类，……天、地、生、人，无所不包，海、陆、空，面面俱到，是一部记述自然的百科全书。

　　书中全面论述了地球理论和地球历史，展现了风、火、水、潮、雷、震（地震）、光、热等各种自然现象；对人和生物的论述更是生动形象，丰富多彩。从生命的起源、器官的发育、青春期的特点，到机能的退化，直至死亡，把人类生息繁衍的过程讲得有声有色。对生物，特别是动物的描绘投下了重重笔墨，占据了大量篇幅，天上飞的，地上长的，野生的，驯养的，食肉的，食草的，大到熊、马，小至鼠、兔，畜、禽，鸟、兽，花、草、树、木，样样俱全，活灵活现，既有理性，又有情趣，好像无论哪种野性的动物都可以成为人类的宠物和朋友。法国著名思想家卢梭是这样评价的：“布封以异常平静而又悠然自得的语言歌颂了自然界中所有的重要物品，呈现出造物者的尊严与灵性。他具有那个世纪最美的文笔。”

　　万物皆有道，自然最奇妙。几乎所有涉及自然的事物都可以从《自然史》汲取营养，得到启示。读这类名著，既能增长知识，丰富阅历，又能赏心悦目，闲情逸致。即使历史已过去了几百年，社会发生了巨变，也未失去这部历史巨著的价值和魅力。这就是一部不朽之作的历史地位。布封在书中提出“物种可变”和“进化”的思想，被生物进化论创始人达尔文称为“以现代科学眼光对待这个问题的第一人”。

　　哲语说，文如其人。《自然史》的作者布封，全名乔治，路易，勒克莱尔.布封（Georges-Louis Leclerc，Comtede Buffon，1707-1788），如同他的不朽著作一样，也有一部不寻常的经历。他生于法国，自幼喜好自然科学，特别是数学。1728年法律专业毕业后，又学了两年医学。20岁时就先于牛顿发现了二项式定理；26岁成为法兰西科学院机械部的助理研究员，翻译并出版了英国博物学者海尔斯的著作《植物生理与空气分析》和牛顿的《微积分术》；1739年，32岁的他转为法兰西科学院数学部的副研究员，并被任命为“巴黎皇家植物园及御书房”的总管；1753年成为法兰西科学院院士。他用40年的时间写出了长达36卷的《自然史》，后又由他的学生整理出版了8卷，共44卷。此书一出版，就轰动了欧洲的学术界，各国很快有了译本。1777年，法国政府给布封建了一座铜像，上面写着：“献给和大自然一样伟大的天才。”这是对布封的崇高评价。

　　《自然史》原著为法文，这里出版的是英国学者James Smith Barr在1797-1807年翻译的英文版10卷册，选取的是原著中最精华的部分。发行这样的英文版高级作品、高级读物，就像外文书籍、外文刊物一样，自然面对的也是高水平的读者和馆藏者，希望他们既可以接近原汁原味地欣赏原著，感受自然的魅力，受到自然科学和文学艺术的熏陶，同时又能自然而然地提高英文素养和写作水平。在广大知识分子外语水平普遍提高的今天，这样的科学传播形式也许会受到越来越多读者的青睐。

　　《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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