b o o k rcfponded with the plant in queftion * . From this fpecimen
' . of his accurate knowledge in botany, Boerhaave became his
patron, and recommended him to the protection o f Mr. Clifford,
by whom he was appointed fuperintendent o f a botani-
cal garden +, lately formed at a very extraordinary expence.
In this new fituation, highly adapted to his circumftances and
genius, he received a falary of a ducat \ per day, and what
was no lefs agreeable, he had the infpeCtion of a garden rich
in the choiceft plants; and was not confined to any expence for
obtaining every fpecies of exoticks, and procuring the works
o f the moft eminent botanical authors. In addition alfo to
thefe favourable opportunities o f increafing his knowledge,
he travelled, at the charge o f Mr. Clifford, into England and
, France. During only two years refidence with Mr. Clifford,
he gave to the publick many works § in various branches
- o f natural hiftory, which raifed his reputation very high
in Europe, and in which he difcovered an amazing, fagacity
in methodizing and claffing, with the niceft difcrimination,
the various productions, in the three kingdoms o f nature.
In thefe publications he ventured, young and unknown
as he was, to commit his new fyftem to the world, which,
* Fabricius.
f A t Hattcamp, about three miles from
Harlem.
% A b o u t ’8j. 6d.
§ Syftema Naturae, comprized, as Dr.
Pulteney fays, in twelve pages, and is the
outlines o f the fucceeding editions— Fundamenta
Botánica— Bihotheca Botánica—
Mufa ClifFortianá— Genera Plantarum —
Viridarium Gliffortianum— Method us Sex-
ualis— Flora Lapponica— Critica Botánica
*— Hortu* ClifForlianiis— Artedi Ichtybl'Ogia
— Claffes Plantarum. W e cannot fufe-
“ ciently,” fays Dr. Baeck, w ith juftnefs,
•“ wonder how, within fo ihort a ipace as
“ .two years, during which period he w-as fo
“ conftantly occupied in arranging the plants
** o f C l i f f o r t ’ s garden acconimg to his fyf-
“ tern, and was fo 'Continually interrupted
“ by foreign yifitors, Linnfeus could alfo
“ find tim'e to put fbrtli fo ‘ many wri tings,
“ each o f which would have been Fufficient
“ to have eftablifhed the reputation o f a
‘ •m an o f '. learning; and thefe wrkin-gs
“ founded upon his own difGOveries;, and
“ tending to give a, new form to a whole
“ fcience. T h e materials o f Home-, indeed,
' “ had been collected and digeiled in Sweden;
“ bu't i'f is a fa‘6t fc'atc'ely credible, 'that the
“ H'ort/m Cljffcrtianus,, a work which con.*
“ tains fo much knowledge, ihonld have
“ been written and printed in leis than nine
“ month s.” For'a-n account o f thefe various
publications fee Pulteney, p. 16 tp 30.
undefended
. undefended by its author, and fupported only by its intrin- CHAP-
fick merit, conquered all oppofition from men of. the f i r f t , ’ ,
abilities and decided character
His refidence in Holland, which had hitherto contributed;
in fo effential a manner to his rife and improvement, was at
length embittered by a very dangerous diforder that terminated
in an ague. He became fuddenly penfive, difcontented,
expreffed an infurmountable defire to fulfil; his matrimonial
engagements; and was impatient to ihow himfelf in
Sweden, where he flattered himfelf with the profpeCt o f a.
moft honourable reception..
Having declined many offers o f promotion in Holland, he
quitted that country in the fpring o f 1 738 ; and,, after pafs-
ing a ihort time at Patis, arrived at Stockholm in the month;
of September ; where he fettled as a phyfician, and married
in the following year the lady to whom he had betrothed
himfelf at Fahlun.
Linnaeus had returned to his native country full o f the
moft fanguine expeCfions that his merit would be immediately
recognized; but, to ufe his biographer’s + expreffions,
“ he was aftonilhed to find that he was confidered more as a
“ ftr-anger among his countrymen than among foreigners.”
He Was fo mortified at this difappointment, and at the fmall
degree of practice which he at fi-r.ft obtained, that he had once
refolved to accept the offers o f his patrons in Holland ; or to
fettle at-Gottingen, at theearneft.foiicitation o f the celebrated.
* Among- others,, the celebrated DeTle-
nins, t hough Ire ca ndidly acrkhowdedged ’the
merits ©f the Linnuean i'yitem, confoffed that
he was too far advanced in life to 'Itudy a
new arrangement. T h e ¡fame reai’ons may
account for the cpolnofs-of reception he met
'With irorri Sir Hans Sd o a'rie, nbcvvithffanclirig
the following letter o f recommendation,
fvritten -by Boerhaave : “ Linnetus , .qu i has
“ tib i dabit. lit eras, eft unice d ig n u s tc v i .
u fore, m i c e i t e m s ' -à te v i fo r i , qui vos y i\
“ 'fob i tftm ulr vidéb it ’hom in urn par , çuiJimile
* | v ï x ,dabit orbis.” See Pulteney,.p. 12.■
f Bæckï.
Haller. :