THE NORTH SWEDISH PROVINCES 139 



governor of Upsala, and a recommendation from the 

 Academy.' 



I make more copious extracts from the earlier por- 

 tion of the journal, as the part of Sweden treated of has 

 not often been described. The aspect of the country is 

 almost unaltered since Linnseus's day. In his shorter 

 diary account of his Lapland tour he says he set out 

 on horseback without incumbrances of any kind, and 

 having all his baggage on his back. 



c I set out alone from the city of Upsala, on Friday, 

 May 12, 1732 [Old Style], at 11 o'clock, being within 

 half a. day of 25 years of age. 1 At this season nature 

 wore her most cheerful and delightful aspect, and Flora 

 celebrated her nuptials with Phoebus.' 



A flowery way of saying it was a fine day. Carl 

 seems to have been made vain by the praise bestowed 

 on his eloquence, and to have enriched it at this time 

 by tropes and classical allusions, after the manner of 

 youth. One forgives Linnaeus for his flowery language 

 it was a fashion, like the embroidered waistcoats 

 worn by those dear dandies, the curled darlings of his 

 day for he wrote sense. It is only l grand nonsense ' 

 that is insupportable. 



{ Now the winter-corn was half a foot high, and 

 the barley had just shot out its blade. The birch, 

 the elm, and the aspen tree began to put forth their 

 leaves. I left old Upsala on the right, with its three 

 large sepulchral mounds or tumuli. The few plants 

 1 A birthday treat of the sort he best enjoyed. 



