THE KNIGHT OF THE POLAR STAR 315 



His motto on receiving the order was no longer 'Laudatur 

 et alget,' but ' Famam extendere factis.' He shone a 

 polar star, or as they who 



Shine by upholding the very truths which the world forgets. 



He also received a medal for his dissertation (sub- 

 scribed ' Nelin ') with the legend ILLUSTRAT, He illu- 

 mines.' This inscription is on several of the Linnaean 

 medals. The legend EQ. v. AVR. on the slab which 

 covers Linnaeus's remains in Upsala Cathedral implies 

 that he was a Knight of the Golden Fleece, but the 

 diary makes no mention of his receiving this brilliant 

 distinction, although it is now a continued catalogue of 

 prosperity. 



1 1755. " Flora Suecica," augmented, was published 

 a second time in order to point out to the public the 

 use of our native plants.' l 



' A medal, bequeathed by Sparre, value 10 ducats ' 

 [4Z. 15s.] ' was given to Linnaeus for his memoir on mak- 

 ing the mountains of Lapland useful.' 2 This was a mono- 

 graph on arboriculture suited to the sub-arctic region. 



4 September '29. The Russian ambassador came to 

 Upsala to deliver to Linnaeus a letter of invitation to 

 the Russian court and a diploma as member of the 

 Imperial Academy at St. Petersburg/ Then follows 

 this suggestive sentence out of which one might 

 fashion a romance ' Menetti, who had written against 

 Linnaeus, repented of it.' 3 



' Diary. * Ibid. Ibid. 



