254 THE JUSSIEUS AND THE NATURAL METHOD. 



as they were, by a passion for study, and the same study ; the one all enthu- 

 siasm and unreserve, of an activity incapable of restraint ; the other always self- 

 collected and calm, of an inertia almost insuperable. "These two celebrated 

 men," says Vicq d'Azyr, "of whom each was the only rival whom the other 

 could fear, were asssociated in many herborizations. The impatience of M. Lin- 

 najus, who never asserted anything without warmth, opposed to the simplicity 

 and composure of J\I. Bernard de Jussieu, who looked on every phase of nature 

 with a regard of equal satisfaction, could not fail to present a very surprising 

 contrast." ( Elogc de Linne.) This contrast is manifest even in the numerical 

 proportion of the letters. Of the twenty-eight of which the correspondence con- 

 sists, one is from Antoine, nine from Bernard, and all the rest from Linnoeus. 

 From his irrepressible inclination to learn from every one, as well as to communi- 

 cate information to others, Linnteus had the pen constantly in hand. " xVssu- 

 redly," he says to the Abbe Duvernoy, " if I had ten hands they would scarcely 

 suffice to answer all the letters I receive ; and if you were to see me at this work 

 you would think that I did nothing but write and wasted therein both money 

 and time." " If I had as many hands," he writes to Jacquin, " as the famous 

 Chinese idol, I would still not have enough for all the answers I have to give. 

 It is certain that I alone write more letters every year than all the other profes- 

 sors of the university together." Accordingly, while we have several volumes . 

 of the correspondence of Linnaeus, as regards Bernard there can be no question 

 except of single and scanty letters. It had required all the heat of Linnajus 

 to melt the ice of Bernard, but this communicated heat could not subsist. Of 

 the last twelve letters of the collection there is but one from Bernard. Linnajus 

 grew weary, at last, of so inert a correspondent, and directed his epistolary 

 ardor to other quarters. 



The correspondence commences in 1736, and terminates in 1763, thus em- 

 bracing a period of twenty-seven years. It opens with a letter from Antoine de 

 Jussieu to Linnajus, but evidently only an answer, for Antoine mentions therein 

 the " Flora of Lapland" as a work Linnaeus had promised to transmit, and 

 •' which is eagerly expected in Paris on account of the early departure of our 

 academicians for those frozen regions." It was, in effect, at this time that, with 

 a view to a more precise measurement of the figixre of the earth, Bouguer, Godin, 

 and La Condamine were proceeding to Peru, and Clairaut, Camus, Lemouniei*. 

 and Maupertius to Lapland. 

 *** ***** 



The second letter is from Linna3iis to Bernard. He had learned that An- 

 toine had devoted himself with great succes to the practice of medicine, and 

 is unwilling to trespass upon time so usefully employed. He therefore addresses 

 himself to Bernard, as being more at leisure, and consequently more disposed to 

 write. (How little did he know of Bernard.) Linuteus sends him his "Critica 

 Botanica,'' and solicits his opinion on it : " I send you," he says, " my Critica, 

 a work written in a crude and uncouth style. I have been constrained to pub- 

 lish it almost without devoting to it a single moment, my whole time being oc- 

 cupied by my Hortus CUffortianus, which I propose to publish towards the end 

 of the year." Bernard replies: " I have received your two letters, and your 

 Critica Botanica," nor is there a word more respecting a book, which, by re- 

 forming the entire nomenclature of botany, substituted Linnteus for all other 

 terminologists, and naturally aroused the jealous susceptibilities of all scientific 

 cotemporaries. The fourth letter of the collection is again from Liuuoeus, and 

 in this he announces himself as about to depart for Paris, where he arrived soon 

 after, (in 173S.) 



Linnaeus was then aged thirty-one, having been born in 1707, the same year 

 with Bnffon, and, for three years, had been travelling in quest, if I may say so, 

 of scientific adventures, having left home with a few crowns in his pocket, a pas- 

 sion for knowledge, and hope. From Sweden he had gone into Holland, first 

 to Amsterdam, then to Ley den, and finally to Hartecamp. His resources be- 



