1 18 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINAGE US 



took a deep interest in the ' Hierobotanicon ; ' as we shall 

 see later on, it was a subject on which he felt keenly aa 

 the central point of botanical study, comprising as it 

 does objects of such vital necessity and convenience 

 to mankind. This book of Celsius' could never have 

 satisfied Linnaeus, who would have liked a complete 

 Flora Palestina with all the plants that Scripture does 

 not mention by name as well ; but it gave him an in- 

 sight into the way of preparing such works 7 and made 

 him ambitious himself to become an author. 



The sap rose in the frozen body : it was the spring- 

 tide of his life, and, as usual, the epoch of creative 

 power. Carl had already composed a little catalogue of 

 his botanical observations, under the title of ' Spolia 

 Botanica,' Upsala, 1729. 1 This was never published. 

 The original, written in Swedish, is preserved with the 

 collection of MSS. brought to England by Sir J. E, 

 Smith. It was dedicated to Professor Eoberg, and 

 contains sketches of a few of the plants, arranged on 

 Tournefort's system, and a rude map of their habitat. 



must not be confounded with his father Olaus Celsius, 1680 (some 

 say 1670) to 1756, theologian and botanist ; or with his grandfather, 

 Magnus Nicholas Celsius, 1621-1679 (?), mathematician and botanist. 

 Linnseus probably accompanied the younger Celsius in a rapid visit to 

 Dannemora, of which we find the only trace in the dates in tlie 

 note-book previously mentioned : ' Journey to Dannemora, May 24 ' 

 [he had just kept his birthday], 1729 ; June 10, travelled to Upsala/ 

 No biographer of Linnasus mentions tlds expedition. It must have 

 been very soon after his appointment with Celsius. The dates of his 

 life at Upsala present many difficulties, Stoever, the diary, and the 

 note-book are so contradictory. Even Linnaeus's own written dates 

 do not always tally. 

 1 Pulteney. 



