00 MEMOIR OF LINN^US. 



time of dinner. We returned to him afterwards, 

 and spent the evening in his society." 



It was his custom to make a botanical excursion 

 every Saturday, and on these occasions he was 

 always accompanied with a joyous troop of attend- 

 ants, amounting often to 1 50 pupils, collected from 

 all quarters of the world. They were divided into 

 small bands, and after dispersing themselves over 

 the country, they met again at the place and hour 

 appointed, to give an account of their discoveries, 

 and hear the explanations of their master. Linnaeus 

 kept near himself only the best informed of the class ; 

 and it was not unfrequent to hear them, when re- 

 turning to their place of rendezvous, raising shouts 

 of joy, which the venerable professor never attempted 

 to repress. As soon as they had all arrived, he 

 classified and described the plants that had been 

 gathered; and when this was done, a table, with 

 about twenty covers, was immediately spread and 

 loaded with fruits, cheese, milk, and other viands. 

 Those of the pupils who had discovered the rarest 

 plants, or determined the greatest number, took 

 their seats at the table with their master ; the rest 

 partook of the refreshment standing, but not with- 

 out hopes of one day meriting the honour which 

 they all so much envied, and which served to keep 

 up among them a powerful spirit of emulation. 



As might have been expected from his great abi- 

 lity, the honours and tributes of respect conferred 

 upon him after his death, were exceedingly numerous 



