C AEOLUS LINNAEUS 9 



nomic abstraction? There will not now be 

 time for both; not even though attempted 

 in mere outline. My own inclinations favor 

 choice of the latter, especially for today; 

 yet circumstances indicate that such a choice 

 would here be also inopportune. Our Wash- 

 ington botanists at this season of the year are 

 mostly far afield in the service of the govern- 

 ment. Only a fair delegation of my colleagues 

 in this science is here present; and this en- 

 lightened audience as a body I am persuaded 

 would much rather hear something more 

 about the man of whom all the world of 

 education and of culture has heard more or 

 less. Even on my own part I have already 

 expressed the view that the man should first 

 be known, that we may the better comprehend 

 his deeds. 



When Linnseus, on the twenty-third of 

 May two hundred years ago, was born, I 

 think it had long been predetermined that he 

 should be a botanist, and one of high dis- 

 tinction. When I say predetermined, I do 

 not use the word in any sense of theological 

 predestination or of astrological forecast. I 

 have but the recognized principles of natural 

 heredity in mind. And, unless I err, there was 

 more inherited by Linnseus than his biogra- 



