Questions to Buffon regarding his communication Q – Thank you for the spiritual communication you have kindly given us. There is one thing that really surprises us, is that you are so aware of every detail of our literature, enjoying with remarkable accuracy, the works and the authors.. Do you still read everything that is published? Kindly give us an explanation that will certainly be useful to our instruction.
A – We don’t need much time to read and enjoy, at one glance we can perceive all the works that attract our attention. We are all involved with matters of your interest and look forward to your dear little group, and you would not believe how many of those that you call notable people, that follow with benevolence the progresses of Spiritism. So, you have to think how happy I was to have my name mentioned by one of your faithful spirits, Lamennais, and also my pleasure in having the opportunity to communicate with you. In fact, when I was questioned during your last session I received something similar to the after-effects or repercussions from your thoughts; and not wanting the truth that I proclaimed in my writing to be reversed without being defended, I then prayed that Erastus would lend me his medium so that I could respond to Lamennais’ argumentation. On another hand you must understand that each one of us remains loyal to his Earthly preferences. That is why we are attentive to the progress achieved by the incarnate writers the same as other incarnated authors are; or to what they intend to achieve with their works. Like Jouffroy, Laroque and la Romiguière are concerned with what happens to Philosophy, and Lavoisier, Berzelius and Thénard with Chemistry, each one cultivating their pastime and cherishing the memories of their own works, attentively following what their successors are doing.
Q – You provided in a few words an assessment of contemporary authors, dead and alive. We would really appreciate if you elaborate on your appreciation of some of them. It would be a methodic and very useful work to us. To begin with, we would like you to comment on the work of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, in particular his Paul and Virginia, condemned by you but that became one of the most popular works.
A – I cannot develop here a critical analysis of the works by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre. Nonetheless, with respect to my previous assessment of the past I must now confess: Like Mr. Josse, I was a little too much of a craftsman; in short, I was faithful to the spirit of literary fraternity, thus criticizing my most unwelcome and best competitor. Later I will give you my true appreciation of this renowned author if a really critique spirit like Merle or Geoffrey do not offer so.
Buffon
