_Principal Events in the Life of Linnaeus from 1738 to 1741._
Linnaeus is treated with Neglect at Stockholm--Is offered a
Botanical Professorship at Gottingen, but prefers remaining
in Sweden--His medical Practice is at length extended--He
prescribes for the Queen, and becomes acquainted with Count
Tessin, who procures for him the Offices of Lecturer to the
School of Mines and Physician to the Admiralty--He marries
Miss Moraeus, delivers Lectures on Botany, and becomes a
Candidate for the Botanical Chair at Upsal, which, however,
is given to Rosen--Is sent to examine the Islands of Oeland
and Gothland--Being appointed to succeed Roberg in the Chair
of Medicine and Anatomy, he goes to Upsal, is reconciled to
Rosen, and delivers his Introductory Discourse--Linnaeus and
Rosen exchange Professorships--The Botanic Garden is
restored, and a House erected for the Professor, who enters
upon his Duties with Ardour.
Linnaeus had naturally expected, on returning to his native land, to
enjoy the fruits of his labours, and if not to step at once into a
lucrative office, to receive, at least, the honours which he imagined to
be due to him. This hope, however, was more the result of a strong
confidence in his own powers, and of the high sense which he entertained
of his merits, than of sound judgment, which might have taught him that
time was yet required to render him known to his countrymen, and address
or accident to bring him into the notice of those who might interest
themselves in his behalf. He had forgotten that a prophet is usually
less esteemed at home than any where else. At Stockholm he was treated
with neglect, and even with contempt. Science in the North had few gifts
to bestow; and, in order to obtain the means of subsistence, he found
himself once more obliged to attempt the practice of medicine. In this,
however, he had very little success, public opinion being opposed to the
professional qualifications of one who had merely the reputation of
being an aspiring botanist; and in the capital he seemed destined to
undergo hardships similar to those which he had experienced at Upsal. In
this, perhaps, the inhabitants judged rightly; for the important office
of a physician certainly ought not to be assumed by one who has resolved
to devote the greater part of his time to studies unconnected with the
healing art. The only favour, he says, which was at this time conferred
upon him was his being elected a member of the Academy of Sciences of
Upsal; and he would have again left Sweden had not his Elizabeth
prevented him.
In this perplexed condition he remained until the summer of 1739, when
the tide of misfortune began to ebb. At this time he received from his
friend, the illustrious Haller, an offer of the botanical professorship
at Gottingen, which, however, the prospect of success in his own country
induced him to reject. The first turn in his affairs was caused by his
having cured two young men of debility brought on by long excesses; and
in less than a month he had under treatment most of the profligates in
the capital. Soon afterwards a catarrhal fever or influenza became
prevalent. He happened to be called to visit, among others, the lady of
an Aulic councillor, for whom he prescribed a remedy which she was
directed to carry about her for occasional use. This lady being one day
at court, and engaged in a card-party, was following his direction, when
the queen, Ulrica Eleonora, asked her what it was she from time to time
put into her mouth. Upon being informed, her majesty, who was herself
troubled with a cough, immediately sent for Linnaeus, who recommended the
same medicine, by which the complaint was removed.
This fortunate accident completely established his popularity, and he
now became the fashionable doctor of the place. About the same period he
was elected president of a society instituted by Captain Triewald for
the improvement of the national language,--a circumstance which also
tended to promote his reputation. He had, moreover, the good luck to
become acquainted with the celebrated Count Charles Gustavus Tessin, who
being himself fond of natural history, could not fail to take an
interest in one who had undeservedly suffered so much obloquy for his
devotion to it. The nobleman asked him if there were any office for
which he wished to petition, as the Diet was then sitting. He replied
that he wanted nothing; but his patron having allowed him a day to
consider, he consulted his friend Triewald, who advised him to ask the
office of lecturer to the School of Mines, which brought about a hundred
ducats a year. The count soon after invited him to dinner, when he
informed him that the request had been granted. In a short time the more
important office of physician to the Admiralty became vacant, and was
procured for him by his Maecenas, who, besides, offered him apartments in
his house, and frequently admitted him to his table. There he had an
opportunity of making the acquaintance of many persons of influence, by
whose means his credit was greatly extended.
Being now in prosperous circumstances, he resolved to complete the
contract into which he had entered with the daughter of old Moraeus, and
proceeding to Fahlun, received her in due form. After spending a month
of merrymaking, he returned to Stockholm. In September he resigned the
presidency of the Academy, and, agreeably to the rules of the
institution, delivered on that occasion a discourse on insects (De
Memorabilibus in Insectis), which was afterwards printed.
In the summer of 1740, he delivered a course of lectures on botany, and
published a new edition of his Fundamenta Botanica, which he dedicated
to Dillenius, Haller, Van Royen, Gronovius, Jussieu, Burmann, and
Ammann; showing, in this classification, his opinion of the comparative
merits of the most eminent botanists of that time. His medical practice
continued to increase; and with his lectures, his private studies, and
his duty as physician to the Admiralty, his time was fully and
satisfactorily occupied. His former protector, Olaus Rudbeck the
younger, professor of botany, having died in the spring of this year,
Linnaeus, Rosen, and Wallerius offered themselves as candidates for the
vacant office. Count Tessin supported the first mentioned; but the
chancellor, Count Gyllenborg, gave Rosen the preference, as he had taken
his degrees before the other, and had acquired stronger claims on the
public by a longer residence at Upsal. The king, however, was desirous
of bestowing the office on the great botanist, who was consoled for the
loss by the promise of succeeding Roberg, who held the chair of
medicine and anatomy. That gentleman, being advanced in years, requested
permission to resign, which was granted; but although the appointment
had been promised to Linnaeus, it was not without difficulty that he
obtained it. In the mean time, Wallerius, his rival, took every
opportunity of impugning his botanical doctrines, with the view of
lessening the estimation of his merits; though the effort tended only to
bring himself into contempt.
The affair was brought before the Diet in 1741, when it was decided that
Linnaeus should be preferred to the vacant place. War having broken out
between Sweden and Russia, he was apprehensive of being obliged to
officiate as physician to the fleet; and finding that the government had
resolved upon sending persons to explore the least-known parts of the
Swedish provinces, for the purpose of promoting domestic manufactures,
he made application for this office also, which was granted to him.
Accompanied by six of his friends, to each of whom was assigned a
separate department, he accordingly examined the islands of Oeland and
Gothland, with the view of discovering any earth that might answer for
the making of porcelain, and of bringing to light such ingredients,
mineral or vegetable, as might be useful in medicine, dyeing, and
domestic economy. The expenses of the journey were defrayed by the Board
of Manufactures. In the course of this expedition, he narrowly escaped
breaking his leg while descending into an alum-pit; was nearly
suffocated among the snow in the vicinity of Blakulla; and experienced
great danger from a violent storm while crossing from Gothland to Upsal.
Although he was unable to accomplish the chief object of his mission,
he made numerous observations on the antiquities of those islands,
their natural productions, fisheries, and the manners of their
inhabitants. The States gave him a public acknowledgment of their
satisfaction, and the narrative of his tour was published four years
afterwards.
On arriving at Upsal in September, he made a sincere peace with his old
antagonist Rosen, proposing to him a mutual oblivion of the past. In
October, he assumed his professional duty as successor to Roberg; on
which occasion he delivered a discourse on the advantages of examining
the interior of the country,--De Peregrinationum intra Patriam
Necessitate. Towards the end of the year, Rosen and he entered into an
amicable negotiation, the result of which was an interchange of offices;
the former taking the chair of anatomy and physiology, and resigning to
the latter that of materia medica, botany, dietetics, and natural
history.
No man of eminence, in any department of science or literature, has been
without enemies. Linnaeus could not, therefore, expect to become an
exception to the general rule. It is doubtful whether Haller manifested
more kindness or enmity towards him; or it may be said that though he
remained his friend, he yet took many opportunities of uttering censure.
A more violent opponent appeared in Heister, professor at Helmstadt,
who, imagining himself a great botanist, was offended by the pretensions
of the Swedish naturalist, and stirred up one of his pupils, Dr
Siegesbeck, a man of even less knowledge than his master, to fight his
battle for him. The representations of this last had, for a time,
considerable influence over the fortunes of Linnaeus, and Heister
secretly rejoiced at his success; while he excited partisans every where
to wage war against the sexual system. Other adversaries started up in
Germany, France, and various parts of Europe. The only open antagonist
whom he had in his own country was the celebrated Wallerius, the
mineralogist; in order to counteract whose unfair criticisms he
published a pamphlet entitled Orbis Eruditi Judicium de Car. Linnaei,
M.D. Scriptis,--The Judgment of the Learned World on the Writings of
Charles Linnaeus, M.D. This is the only defence that he ever made of
himself, and the only work which he published anonymously. It contained
merely a short sketch of his life, a list of the books published by him,
and testimonials and opinions of celebrated individuals respecting his
merits. Whatever vexation these attacks may have given him, they had no
permanent influence, and he had the happiness of triumphing over all
opposition. With reference to the attacks of Siegesbeck, he thus writes
from Hartecamp to Haller:--
"I have received from a friend Professor Siegesbeck's Verioris
Botanosophiae Specimen, with his Epicrisis on my writings. This author
has been very hard upon me. I wish he had written these things when I
was first about publishing. I might have learned when young, what I am
forced to learn at a more advanced age, to abstain from writing, to
observe others, and to hold my tongue. What a fool have I been, to waste
so much time, to spend my days and nights in a study which yields no
better fruit, and makes me the laughing-stock of all the world! His
arguments are nothing; but his book is filled with exclamations, such as
I never before met with. Whether I answer him or keep silence, my
reputation must suffer. He cannot understand argument. He denies the
sexes of plants. He charges my system with indelicacy; and yet I have
not written more about the polygamy of plants than Swammerdam has about
bees. He laughs at my characters, and calls upon all the world to say if
any body understands them. I am said to be ignorant of scientific terms.
He judges me by the principles of Rivinus, and hundreds of the vilest
scribblers. Inasmuch as the man humbles me, so do you, whose learning
and sense have been made sufficiently evident, exalt me. It distresses
me to read the commendations you are pleased to heap upon so unworthy an
object. I wish there might ever be any reason to expect that I could
evince my gratitude and regard for you. I hope life will be granted me,
to give some proof of my not being quite unworthy."
Linnaeus was now, however, in his proper element, and commenced his
academical career with great ardour. The botanical garden, founded by
the celebrated Olaus Rudbeck about fifty years before, was entirely
destroyed by the dreadful fire which, as already mentioned, had, in
1702, converted the greater part of Upsal into a heap of ruins, and now
served no more important purpose than that of pasturing a few cows. His
first efforts were directed towards its renovation, which he soon
succeeded in accomplishing. Count Gyllenborg, who was then chancellor of
the university, was a man of considerable scientific attainments, and
had a special love for botany. This circumstance, as well as his
interest in the prosperity of the institution, induced him to lend a
ready ear to the solicitations of the professor, and to give his
important aid to the undertaking. Baron Harlemann, the king's architect,
furnished the plan. Hothouses were erected, walks formed, ponds dug,
plots furnished with plants; in short, the garden soon assumed a most
promising appearance. A house was also built for the accommodation of
the teacher, who had no longer any cause to complain of the neglect of
his countrymen. In the early part of this year his wife presented him
with a son; so that in all respects he was a happy man.
At this point ends the more romantic portion of this illustrious
individual's life. His continued struggles for subsistence, for the
acquisition of knowledge, for fame, for an honourable independence, were
now crowned with success. His rivals had shrunk from the contest, his
calumniators had fallen into deserved obscurity, his merits had been
acknowledged at home and abroad, his perseverance, his ardour, and his
acuteness of observation, were duly estimated. While yet in the vigour
of manhood, he had attained the honour and emolument that are often
deferred to cheer only the declining years of the votary of science. On
the other hand, how many individuals have toiled through a life of
continued misery, without ever reaching that haven into which the gentle
breezes of prosperity had already wafted our ardent adventurer.