98 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



increased our diligence and researches ; though we lived 

 at a great distance, yet it would not prevent us visiting 

 each other every day. Even the dissimilitude of our 

 character turned out to advantage. He excelled me in 

 chemistry, and I outdid him in the knowledge of birds 

 and insects and in botany.' 



Artedi also studied alchemy : the poor youth added 

 the golden dream to that of the lordship of creation. 

 Peter, or Pehr, Artedi was two years older than Linnaeus. 

 He was born in 1705 in Angermania, likewise of poor 

 parents. His behaviour at the college of Hernosand was 

 the counterpart of our Carl's at Wexio, preferring the 

 study of nature, especially that of fishes, to all other 

 accomplishments. In 1724 he came to Upsala to 

 study divinity, but he soon exchanged theology for 

 natural history. 



Pehr Arctedius for this was his name in Swedish, 

 only he shortened it to Artedi went to Angermanland 

 to discharge the last duties to his father, and on his 

 return gave himself up to the pleasures of a friendship 

 with Linnaeus. Artedi was of a tall handsome figure ; 

 Linnaeus was shorter, stouter, more hasty in temper, and 

 fuller of youth's certainty of success. They both had a 

 noble spirit of emulation ; they were ' opposing mirrors, 

 each reflecting each ' ; every discovery or thought re- 

 turned to each improved, enlightened by passing through 

 the other's mind ; the flashes of illumination were caught 

 in talk and fixed. 



Enthusiasm is catching. Carl's flame fired Artedi 



