26 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



in June, 1739, after some years of patient working 

 and waiting, which made him, however, none the 

 worse husband. 



Linnraus had now many friends in influential posi- 

 tions, and it was his desire to found a learned society 

 in Stockholm similar to what Berlin and Groettingen 

 then possessed. Such a society was founded in Stock- 

 holm, with six members, and himself as the first 

 president, in the same year as his marriage took 

 place. The membership increased, and in two years' 

 time it was constituted the Eoyal Academy of Sciences. 

 The society still exists and has done much good in 

 making known useful knowledge and discoveries. 



He still continued his practice, which had by this 

 time produced him a splendid income. In 1741, he 

 was selected by the state to travel into unexplored 

 parts of Sweden for the purpose of discovering plants 

 which might be useful for dyeing purposes, and also to 

 search for a suitable clay for the making of chinaware. 



At the age of thirty-three he was appointed professor 

 of physic and anatomy in the university of Upsala. 

 The botanical gardens of the city had been allowed to 

 fall into a condition of neglect, and Linnseus devoted 

 now several years to their care and development. In 

 1745, they had, under his skilful management, not only 

 recovered then former prestige, but would now compare 

 very favourably with the gardens at Kew, Paris, aud 



ewhere. The embellishing and enriching of these 

 botanical gardens at Upsala was the favourite study of 

 his life. His academical lectures on botany were 

 delivered to crowded audiences, and new life was 



