84 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINN&US 



reputation utterly disproportioned to his great abilities. 

 He had not consulted Stobaeus about his removal to 

 Upsala, although he must have written to inform the 

 authorities at Lund of his intention, and asked for a 

 testimonial of his attainments, as this time he carried a 

 splendid Latin official testimonial from the rector of the 

 university, in which he was called c politissimus orna- 

 tissimusque dominus,' and was declared c to have con- 

 ducted himself with no less diligence than correctness, 

 so as to gain the affection of all who knew him.' * This 

 testimonial, addressed to the Candido Lectori,' is signed 

 Arvid Moller, rector. 



' With the stillest face, more touching than if it had 

 been all beteared,' the still-young mother watched her 

 boy depart, the stalwart son, losing with him her cer- 

 tainty of finding a protector to herself and her little 

 children, the youngest girl a mere infant. Father and 

 mother then turned and again sobbed in each other's 

 arms and prayed for their darling, the hope of their 

 age and weakness, for whom they had no other help 

 than prayer. It was answered openly. 



1 Smith. 



