the expense of both gardens. The botanical garden of Linnæus belonged
to the University, and their fonds not being sufficient to enable
them to keep it in order, the consequence has been, that it has
been allowed to fall into the desolate state in which it now is. It would
have been for the interest of botany to have kept up the old garden,
notwithstanding the new, as it was better situated, and of course better
adapted for the rearing of delicate plants. Besides, the prcserva-
tion of his garden and his plants was an honour to which the genius
and splendid exertions of Linnaeus entitled him. But as neither gratitude
nor shame ever exists in a body of men, we need not expect
from them either genérosity or gratitude.
The new botanic garden lies on the west side of the palace, and is
much larger than that of Linnaeus. As far as I could judge from
merely walking through it, this garden is kept in very good order.
The number of plants which it contained did not appear to- be great.
The hot-houses are small, and the number of trees struck me as few ;
but every person must be aware that it is impossible to form any accurate
opinion of a botannical garden by merely walking through it.
To have formed a precise idea of the number of species which it contained,
would have required the labour of several days ; but it must
be obvious, that neither the climate nor the commercial relations of
Sweden are compatible with a very numerous collection of plants
in their botanic gardens. The botanic garden is beyond comparison
the first in Sweden : that at Lund, though in a milder climate, has
never contained any considerable number of plants.
Adjoining the botanic garden is an elegant building where the lectures
on botany and natural history are read. We paid it a visit of
course, and took a cursory view of the animals and other departments
of the collection. I was somewhat curious to see its extent, because
I conceived that it was from it chiefly, and from the collection belonging
to the Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, which must have been
insignificant in his time, that Linnæus drew those characters which constitute
the foundation of his Systema Naturce. Though this, collection
is but small compared to those that may be seen at Paris and in
some other places, yet it must be allowed to be very respectable; and
might well have served as a foundation for the classification of Tinmens.
The collection of shells is very good—this I was the more
surprized at, because I conceive Linnaeus's arrangements of shells to
be one of the most defective in the whole range of his classes. It
was indeed much less perfect at first than it afterwards became.
But even after receiving the last corrections of its author, it must be
admitted to be a very inadequate classification of these beautiful but
difficult objects of arrangement.
The house and laboratory of Bergman, and the collection of minerals
belonging to the University of Upsala, were likewise objects of
considerable curiosity with me. For this purpose I waited upon Mr.
Ekeberg, with whose name, in consequence of his publications I was
previously acquainted. I found him in a bad state of health, almost
blind, and so deaf that it was very difficult to keep up a conversation.
Besides, he had a difficulty in speaking from a disease in his breast.
Notwithstanding his unfortunate situation he received me with the
utmost politeness and kindness, and presented me with a set of specimens
of the remarkable minerals which he had analysed, and which
Were now so scarce that they could not be procured. These were
aadiolimte and yttrotantalite. From him likewise I obtained specimens
of Swedish titanite. Not being in a condition to. bear the fatigue of
showing me the laboratory and the mineral collection, Professor Af-
zelius, to whom he introduced me, was so obliging as to undertake
the task, and he went through it with a degree of politeness and readiness,
which added greatly to the obligation. The mineral collection
at Upsala is by far the completest of any that I saw, during my stay
in Sweden. By far the most valuable part of it, indeed, perhaps I
may say almost the whole, was collected by the present Professor of
Chemistry, John Afzelius, who travelled for the purpose, at least as
far as Copenhagen and Germany, and was certainly very successful in
his objects, A great many show specimens are arranged upon a long
table covered with glass. The great body of the collection is arranged
in drawers, in two small rooms at the two extremities of the long
room in which the show specimens are exhibited. It would take too