14 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH LIXN.EUS 



His mind was writhing in the tight crust of tra- 

 dition, and bursting the bounds of imperfect know- 

 ledge. i The mind is its own place ' ; but it has to free 

 itself, to widen and burst all obstacles, making an area 

 for itself to move in, expanding this until the universe 

 only is its shell. The Dutch had thought themselves 

 learned, but they were nothing in comparison with 

 this young discoverer, who was able at any moment to 

 hand out a sample of seemingly inexhaustible treasures. 

 The Dutchmen welcomed him, on their own principle 

 of amalgamating, or rather warehousing, all valuable 

 foreign products. 



Goldsmith aptly observes, ' Holland at first view 

 appears to have some pretensions to polite learning. 

 It may be regarded as the great emporium not less of 

 literature than of every other commodity. A dearth of 

 wit in France or England naturally produces a scarcity 

 in Holland.' 



Yet one faculty they had that Linnseus lacked the 

 discernment of beauty in art. They could stand en- 

 tranced by the power of painting : could understand it, 

 appreciate it, and disburse large sums for its possession, 

 with a feeling altogether beyond their knowledge of 

 ' the commercial value of beauty.' Much as Linnaeus 

 loved zoology, he loathed Cuyps and Potters ; he, the 

 lover of flowers, could only look upon Van Huysum with 

 a critical eye. 



Linnasus went to Leyden on club days mostly by 

 the barge, but in wet weather by the four-horsed coach, 



