HIS WORK FOR POSTERITY 247 



1 Is it that we are Reformers in our neighbours' trade, 

 and Conservatives in our own?' His multifarious works 

 were interrupted by a very severe attack of gout. * His 

 fits were so violent as to deprive him of sleep, nor could 

 he ever keep his feet quiet ; it went to his hands also. 

 They despaired of his recovery.' l 



Smith and others say this illness occurred in 1749 ; 

 the ' Amcenitates Academicae ' and others speak of it oc- 

 curring at the end of June 1750. Weight of evidence is 

 in favour of the first date, bulk of evidence of the latter. 

 I incline for once to go with the biggest heap, since 

 Linnaeus cured himself by eating wild strawberries ; be- 

 cause he made a tour in SkSne in the summer of 1749, 

 and returned after the strawberry season was over. 



Linnaeus laid the foundation of disease by continual 

 sitting, writing, and labouring. One day he ate wood- 

 strawberries, fell asleep, desired more to be given him, 

 and two days after rose from his bed entirely restored. 

 He caused his servants to purchase all that were brought 

 to his door. 2 



To this attack of the gout, however distressing to 

 the patient, the world is indebted for one of his most 

 valuable and remarkable works the ' Philosophia Bota- 

 nica.' 3 The substance of this book must have been 

 comprehended in the mind of its author when he wrote 

 his ' Fundamenta Botanica,' of which it is professedly a 

 dilatation or exemplification in the form of a commen- 

 tary on each aphorism throughout. But, though he 

 1 Diary. 2 Ibid. Smith. 



