871 - [BUFFON, Georges-Louis Leclerc de (1707–1788), French naturalist]. Set of 3 documents. Two relate to a wager following a dispute over grammar:

[BUFFON, Georges-Louis Leclerc de (1707–1788), French naturalist]. Set of 3 documents. Two relate to a wager following a dispute over grammar: -“Au jardin du Roy,” May 6, 1767. 1½ pp., in-4. “Mr. de Buffon […] admits that he has never studied grammar. Thus, he is not surprised that Mr. Lambert lost his bet. Moreover, he believes that a neutral verb can become active when used appropriately and when it closely conveys an idea; but in truth, this is not a matter for grammar, which has never had the power to breathe life into what has none—as we see in the case of certain books that are correctly written but nevertheless poorly styled. Mr. de Buffon […] asks him not to bet on his word anymore, because one often loses a good case when pleading before judges for whom form is everything and substance very little.” - S.l., May 5, 1767. Letter titled “Copy of a letter written to Mr. de Buffon on May 5, 1767, regarding a wager.” “Sir, in one of your letters to Madame de Sillery, you say—speaking of the modern philosophers she has portrayed (you have not omitted a single one of the traits that characterize them)—that several types of texts claim the word ‘échappé’ is incorrect, because, according to the Academy, this verb is neutral and takes the accusative only when it means ‘to avoid.’ I argued and wagered to the contrary, […] however, having agreed to defer to the decision of Mr. d’Douilly, the grammarian [certainly Noël-François de Wailly (1724–1801)], I lost and am paying up. That matter is settled; but it does not cause me to change my opinion, and I dare to take up what is no doubt your precious time to ask you to tell me whether I should persist, since I cannot suspect—as some would have me believe—that this is a copyist’s or printer’s error. I would certainly take pride in the wrong done to me, if it could be shared with the Father, the writer of our century. Forgive […] the desire that I should have justified my pride a little.” “Replied the following day, May 6. Mr. de Buffon does not take advantage of the opening I have given him to extricate himself from the matter. Mr. de Marmontel agrees with him; the Abbé de Lisle disagrees. The King of Prussia had said, in the same vein, that his nephew would ‘recognize’ him, and Mr. de Nicolai, in his speech to Mr. de Fourqueux, has also just said that he had ‘begun again like his father,’ an expression that would have been condemned, ten years ago, by all grammarians.” —At the Jardin du Roi, January 2, 1784. ½ p. in-4. Buffon invites his correspondent to the wedding of his son Georges Louis Marie Leclerc de Buffon (1764–1794) to Marguerite Françoise Bouvier de la Mothe de Cepoy (1767–1808) [who would soon become the mistress of the Duke of Orléans, Philippe-Égalité]. “The Count de Buffon has come to have the honor of informing you of the marriage of his son to Mademoiselle de Cepoy and kindly asks you to be present at the Jardin du Roi next Sunday at five o’clock in the evening for the signing of the marriage contract.”