TOUR IN SKANE 255 



consider Linnaeus a great traveller, as he carefully 

 investigated all these parts before the roads were as 

 good as they are now, and when railways were only 

 dreamt of. 



In Sweden Linnaeus travelled in the really pleasur- 

 able way, calmly, at the pace of horse or foot ; not like 

 our generation, who, riding in whirled vehicles, see l the 

 hedges in full gallop on each side of us ; as Carlyle de- 

 scribes, ' the woods, and houses, and all objects but the 

 fixed blue of heaven, seem to be madly careering at the 

 top of their speed, stormfully waltzing round transient 

 centres, the whole earth gone into menadic enthusiasm 

 a soul-confusing phantasmagoria he himself all the 

 while locked into dead quiescence.' 



At Marklunda Linnaeus begins to observe officially, 

 and makes notes of the dwelling-houses, churches, &c. 

 The subject of agriculture he treats pretty largely, 

 making remarks on the culture of marshy grounds, 

 and on various useful or noxious herbs, particularly the 

 Stakar, supposed to be the water-hemlock, which, it is 

 believed, renders horses that eat it paralytic, the Gramen 

 mannce, 2 the seeds of which are so useful in fattening 

 geese, the intoxicating mushroom, 3 &c. The fields were 

 aglow with the splendid crimson Primula farinosa ; and 

 on the outskirts of the woods he frequently saw the 

 light grey-backed hooded crow 4 with glossy black head 

 and beak, black wings, tail, and legs. It is not at all 



1 Carlyle on Spiritual Optics. 2 Fcstuca fluitans. 



8 Agaricus muscariiis, a poisonous kind. 4 Corvus comix. 



