THE KNIGHT OF THE POLAR STAR 309 



In the temple consecrated to Nature at Drottning- 

 holm a medallion of Linnseus is suspended amidst those 

 of the most illustrious Swedes. 



< 1753. At the end of last year, and the beginning 

 of this, Linnseus was again commanded to go to court 

 at Ulrichsdal, where the king had formed a menagerie 

 of living beasts and birds, as well as a fine collection of 

 fishes, mostly preserved in spirits, and various animals, 

 besides a most instructive collection of petrifactions ' l 

 the craze of that day, heralding the whole science of 

 geology, the dawn of a great light. 



' The innumerable petrifactions of foreign animals, 

 and of animals never seen by any mortal in our days, 

 which often lie hid among stones under the most lofty 

 mountains these fragments of the ancient world reach 

 far beyond the memory of any history whatever.' 2 This 

 fresh but prepared mind now tremblingly began to read 

 the autobiography of the world in the globe's records 

 of its own history. This was a new light then, and 

 terrible to the dim, unused eyesight of our great-grand- 

 fathers. It was like holding up a telescope to the eye 

 of history. Linnseus's strong mind appreciated truth 

 keenly ; his comprehensiveness of view could seize it at 

 a glance. He says, ' The magnificence and beauty, the 

 regularity, convenience, and utility of the works of 

 creation, cannot fail to afford man the highest degree 

 of pleasure.' This exquisite order, which could not be 



1 Diary. 

 2 Preface to Museum Adolphi Friderid, Linnaeus, 



