LIKIVEAN SOCIFTY OF LONDON. 57 



project, for Linne replies to "SVargentin, 17th Sept., 1775 : 

 " Tbrough my being at llammarby 1 only received the post to- 

 day, ilerr Eoslin has done the portrait gratis, so that he was at 

 liberty to dispose of it, even without my wish, but he has thereby 

 done me double favour, for it was only painted for posterity, and 

 can never be better copied than in Paris ; give him my respectful 

 thanks, if he is still [in Stockholm] and say that 1 am doubly 

 indebted to him." This letter shows that the reason why Eoslin 

 wanted to carry off the portrait, was to copy it in Paris, where he 

 was permanently settled. 



It is perfectly certain that the portrait which now belongs 

 to the Versailles gallery was painted complete in Sweden, for it 

 was very accurately copied by Lorenz Pasch the younger ; and as 

 he seems never to have left Sweden after his return from abroad 

 in 1766, the copy must have been made in that country, so that 

 lloslin's original must have been then complete. 



Nothing more was heard about the portrait till after Linne's 

 death early in 1778, and the news seems to have stirred Eoslin up 

 to carry out his promise to give a copy to the family of Liiine 

 and to the Eoyal Academy of Science. In September of that year, 

 the Academy debated upon some talk which the painter had with 

 some of the membei's, that he was to get one of the most skilful 

 of the Paris engravers to engrave the portrait of his fellow- 

 countryman which he had painted. It was to cost 1000 livres 

 (£'39 15s. Od.), and Eoslin asked whether the Academy would pay 

 this on condition of receiving the plate and the whole of the 

 impression, which it was thought would readily sell, and be eagerly 

 sought after by the whole of the learned world, so that not only 

 would the outlay be recouped, but that the Academy would benefit. 

 The Academy took this view gladly and gave instructions to the 

 Secretary accordingly. A letter of the 12th May, 1779, fronx 

 Eoslin was read in the meeting of the 2nd June, in which he 

 stated, that the copper was now ready with 500 copies printed, and 

 150 of these were sent by Herr Sergei [the Swedish sculptor]. The 

 remainder might be sold in Paris and elsewhere for 2 livres 

 ( = ls. "d.) apiece. Besides the cost of the plate, 80 livres [=<£8] 

 had been spent for paper and printing. " The actual portrait 

 which Herr Eoslin made for himself, he offers to present to the 

 Academy. All this delighted the Academy, but the determination 

 as to the disposal of the 150 copies was postponed, till they should 

 arrive." In a letter to the younger Linne dated 19th July, 1779, 

 AVargentin says : — " Of the late Hr. Archiater's portrait engraved 

 on copper, 150 copies have come. It is extraordinarily beautiful, and 

 like, although the Archiater is represented younger and plumper 

 than he was during the last years. It has cost the Academy 

 3600 dalers in copper (about <£83)." This refers to Bervic's 

 engraving, a copy of which was shown at the meeting held on the 

 21st July : "All present found it extremely well done, but were 

 of various opinions as to the more or less likeness to our lamented 

 Linne. The Academy decided to present copies to the widow and 



