LUND UNIVERSITY 55 



travelled southward alone this time : he was to meet 

 his elder relative Humerus, who was a professor in the 

 university of Lund, and who had promised to support 

 him. 



It was his birthday, May 23 (May 13, Old Style). 

 What makes the date of Linnaeus's birthday of moment 

 is that nearly every journey of consequence that he 

 took, and many of the chief events of his life, are dated 

 from his birthday. It is true that this is just the time 

 of the break into the pleasantness of spring, and there- 

 fore, naturally, the time to begin botanical excursions. 

 Carl looked up fondly at the red cottage, his birth-place 

 at R&shult, as he passed it. Poor as he might be, a garden 

 like that would be sufficient for his happiness ; surely he 

 might hope to compass as much in life, or so little, as 

 that. He walked on he was to walk the distance of about 

 eighty-four English miles in four days carrying his 

 knapsack, and resting at various farm-houses or priests' 

 houses on the way. Twenty-one miles a day promised 

 a pleasant walk. There is nothing more delightful to 

 an active young man than a lightly equipped walking 

 tour. Carl was lightly equipped enough, we may be 

 sure, and he found much to entertain him on the way. 

 Through life he always enjoyed travel even beyond the 

 usual relish of youth. 



A walking-tour is a more formidable thing in 

 Sweden than elsewhere, when one reflects that Sweden, 

 containing 170,000 square miles, is consequently nearly 

 three times as large as England and Wales together. 



