HOMEWARD BOUND 51 



France the politest people in Europe had suddenly 

 become the rudest.' Yet it had little to do with the 

 sword ; the truth is that chivalry and its teaching 

 had been overthrown, and religion replaced by selfish- 

 ness in all its forms. 



The friendship of the Jussieus was more substantial. 

 Bernard made excursions with Linnaeus to Versailles, 

 Fontainebleau, and Burgundy, and took all the expense 

 of them upon himself. They were accompanied by La 

 Serre, a fellow botanist. Linnaeus was all eagerness. 

 He remembers the trip to Fontainebleau with pleasure 

 years afterwards. 



The forest of Fontainebleau is ever charming, and 

 to a Swede it always holds the memory of Queen 

 Christina, beloved of Sweden, in spite of all her ques- 

 tionable traits. Christina was one of Linnseus's 

 mental affinities, intimately connected with him through 

 Kudbeck. The aspect of Fontainebleau at that day is 

 given by Dr. Johnson, a less cheerful traveller than 

 Linnaeus : ' A large mean town crowded with people. 

 The forest thick with woods, very extensive. The 

 appearance of the country pleasant. No hills, few 

 streams, only one hedge. Pavement still and rows of 

 trees. The king's dogs almost all English, but de- 

 generate.' Yet Johnson saw the forest in October an 

 aspect of it which makes most people rave. 



Besides seeing almost all Vaillant's Orchidece in 

 flower at Fontainebleau, in Burgundy Linnaeus first 

 beheld ' vineyards and maize, things pleasant for sore 



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