LINN^US AND HIS INFLUENCE 55 



icine. But he was destined for a university career, 

 and after a few years of wandering in which he visited 

 France and England, he was appointed professor at 

 the University of Upsala and became one of the most 

 widely recognized men of its faculty. His drawing 

 power was great, during his residence the attendance 

 at the University advanced from 500 to 1500 and his 

 classes were attended by several hundred students. 

 He sustained close personal relations with his stu- 

 dents and his teaching gave a great impetus to the 

 study of natural history. His disciples were for the 

 most part men of smaller type and in their hands the 

 study of zoology was lowered by their devotion to 

 species-making while observations of a more im- 

 portant character on animals were neglected. Ac- 

 cordingly, the influence of Linnaeus was not progres- 

 sive. His chief service was to reduce to systematic 

 form observations on the external and general char- 

 acter of animals and to supply the nomenclature that 

 is in use at the present day. 



As to personal appearance and human qualities 

 this light-haired Swede was a short, thick man with 

 large limbs, affable and easy of approach. He was 

 vain and his self-esteem was greatly increased by the 

 widely extended praise that had been given to his 



