320 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LINNAEUS 



through a veil formed of the rigging of the shipping, 

 mingled with the darker branches of the trees. Carl 

 thought to cross over to London in one day, and ex- 

 pected to be away eight days altogether ; but he had to 

 wait for a vessel, and, owing to rough weather, he only 

 reached Harwich in eight days after leaving Eotterdam. 

 Linnaeus was never sea-sick, which accounts for his 

 being able to talk so much about the heathen gods 

 unless, indeed, it is Stoever who here shows off his 

 mythological knowledge on this appropriate occasion. 

 From Harwich Carl went by land to London by coach 

 probably ; or did he, being in funds, enjoy the learned 

 luxury of a post-chaise ? The coach-road runs by the 

 river Stour to Colchester, by Tiptree Heath Tiptree of 

 Mechi fame (how the experimental farming there would 

 have interested our Swede !) by Witham and Chelms- 

 ford, by Ingatestone, Brentwood, Romford, and Stratford. 

 Entering London by way of Bow, and passing by that 

 1 strange anarchy of a place, the Stock Exchange '- 

 Carlyle's Domdaniel he reached Charing Cross, then, as 

 now, the flood-tide of human existence. i The London 

 street tumult has become a kind of marching music to 

 me,' says Carlyle. Linnaeus spoke of London in the 

 only language he knew besides Swedish, which counts 

 for nothing out of Sweden, as ' Punctum saliens in 

 vitello orbis.' 



With neatly-arranged dress bloom colour, no doubt 

 ruffles, and dress sword, and the pretty letter in his 

 bosom, Carl soon found his way westward to Chelsea. 



