S8 THROUGH THE FIELDS WITH 



important, financially, than to shut the gates through 

 which the silver currency went out of Europe. 1 This is 

 a broadly economic idea. But Sweden was the part of 

 Europe the patriotic Linnaeus cared most about. He 

 wanted to turn her copper dollars into silver ones. 



A thoroughgoing patriot looks complacently all around 

 him. Even the Esquimaux in the far frigid zone thinks 

 no other whale-fishery half so good as his own. We all 

 know Sam Slick's opinion of Nova Scotia ; but as it 

 applies so well to Sweden, I must quote it. 



'Now this province is jist like that turtle soup, 

 good enough at top ; but dip down, and you have the 

 riches, the coal, the iron ore, the gypsum, and what 

 not. ... I never seed or heard tell of a country that 

 had so many nateral privileges as this ; harbours and 

 water-powers and scenery. They have iron, coal, slate, 

 grindstone, lime, 2 gypsum, firestone, freestone, a list 

 as long as an auctioneer's catalogue. Their shores are 

 crowded with fish, and their lands covered with wood/ 



Linnaeus's patriotic feeling carried him too far when 

 he said the bill of fare in Sweden was more varied than 

 in any other country. Certainly there is in every house 

 a sideboard spread with numerous small glass dishes, 

 about which all the gentlemen hover in embarrassment 

 of choice. The pretty maiden-in-waiting helps them to 

 choose ' bifstake ' and beer (Elizabethan fashion) for their 

 solid breakfast, while they still study natural selection 



1 Amcenitates Academicce. 



2 There is very little lime in Sweden. 



