LIFE AT STOCKHOLM 71 



lieutenants that run over 5,000 miles of country in 

 five weeks on leave of absence, and then return looking 

 as wise as the monkey that had seen the world.' l i The 

 fact of the more positive formation of his own opinions 

 brought him more immediately into collision with the 

 positive opinion of others.' 2 His views were no longer 

 in the jelly state that readily takes impression from 

 moulds they come in contact with. 



' Let the fellow make a system,' thought Linnasus, 

 though he disdained to speak his mind to Siegesbeck, 

 1 and he will answer himself.' Linnaeus was disgusted 

 by the prejudiced ignorance which puffed itself up to 

 outvie his careful study and earnest work. He knew 

 where he had failed ; his detractors had never done 

 anything great enough to be called a failure. ' If that 

 eagle is represented as trying what he can't do, it's an 

 honourable ambition after all,' says Sam Slick of the 

 American bird. 



Linnasus wrote an account of all this to Haller. 1 1 

 took up my residence at Stockholm. Everybody laughed 

 at my botany. Not one could tell how many restless 

 nights and toilsome hours I had bestowed upon it ; but 

 every corner resounded with the humiliating lesson I had 

 received from this Siegesbeck. I began to set up for a 

 practitioner, but my success was very slow. They would 

 not even employ me in a servant's cure.' 3 



His only open and avowed enemy in Sweden was 

 Wallerius the mineralogist, Rosen's protege and pupil. 



1 Sam Slick. 2 Dean Stanley. Stoever. 



