C 39 ] 



Here, while he was forming plans for his future fame 

 and the advancement of fcience, he was feized with a 

 bilious fever ; and after feveral relapfes, he died on the 

 firft of November 1783, in the forty-fccond year of 



his age. 



By the death of the younger Linnaeus, the male 

 ^ branch of the family became extlnd : and his poflefTiohS 

 devolved to his mother and filters. Thefe ladies, wilt- 

 ing to dlfpofc of what to them was a mere fplendid incum- 

 brance, by the advice of their friends, offered the mufeum 

 and the whole of the colle6lions and correfpondence to 

 Sir Jofeph Banks, as the moft liberal and wealthy natu- 

 ralift in Europe, for the fum of a thoufand guineas. 

 Sir Jofeph himfelf declined the purchafe, but recom- 

 mended it to the confideration of his friend Do£lor J. E. 

 Smith., After fome negociation the bargain was made, 

 which feems to have been conducted on all fides with much 

 honour and integrity, and thefe ineftimable treafures were 

 fent to England in twenty-fix large packages. They con- 

 tained the whole of the colledions of both father and 

 fon; the library, confifting of about 2,500 volumes; 

 and the manufcripts and correfpondence. > 



« 



During this tranfadion the king of Sweden was 

 abfent from his dominions: but returning foon after the 

 fhip had failed for England, and unwilling that his 

 country Ihould be deprived of thefe ineftimable treafures, 

 he fent an armed veflel to bring the fhip back ; but fortii- 



