PLANT NAMES 13 



He loved this modest flower, and had it painted on 

 his teacups. It flourished in the most northerly 

 regions of Europe, Asia, and America, and in our 

 islands is only found in the east of Scotland and at 

 one place in Northumberland. 



The story is well known how, on his visit to 

 England, he saw for the first time the stretch of 

 golden blossom on the Furze at Putney Heath, and 

 how he fell on his knees and thanked God for having 

 created a plant of such wondrous beauty. Indeed, 

 he united to his great gift of genius a deep piety, 

 and over his study door he had the motto painted, 

 *' Live innocently: God is present." 



His work was generously appreciated in England, 

 and a Linnsean Society was formed, now one of 

 our great learned bodies. This society owns the 

 magnificent natural history collection which he 

 made. It contains 2,000 books and manuscripts, 

 3,198 insects, 1,564 shells, 2,424 minerals, and 

 19,000 plants. It was very nearly lost to our 

 country. Sir James Smith, an English botanist, 

 bought it from the widow of Linnaeus in 1784 for 

 900 guineas, and the Treasury agreed to forgo 

 Customs Duty. The King of Sweden, who had been 

 absent in France, returned just as the collection 

 had left the harbour on board the British vessel 

 Appearance. He immediately ordered a frigate 

 to pursue her. An exciting chase began, the 

 vessels under full sail and in sight of each other. 

 The frigate, however, failed to overtake the 

 Appearance; she sailed triumphantly up the 



