316 LINN^US. 



tatedj and from that moment his health became per- 

 ceptibly worse. The apoplectic attack followed soon 

 after ; and from a comparison of testimonies on the 

 subject, it seems to us extremely probable that it 

 was occasioned by the causes now assigned. 



He did not, however, despair, nor give himself up 

 to inactivity under these distressing circumstances. 

 A Swedish gentleman returning from Surinam, 

 where he had been residing on his estates, brought 

 with him a collection of plants preserved in spirits 

 of wine, which he presented to the king. The lat- 

 ter sent them to Linnaeus, whose health was much 

 benefited by the pleasure which the possession of 

 these treasures inspired. He immediately com- 

 menced a description of them, which was published 

 in the Amsenitates Academicse, — a work respecting 

 which we shall have occasion to speak in another 

 section. 



After this period, however, little remained of his 

 former vigour. His body feeble and emaciated, his 

 mind stripped of its distinguishing faculties, he ra- 

 pidly sunk into decrepitude. In 1775, he thus de- 

 scribes his state in his diary : — " Linnaeus limps, can 

 hardly w^alk, speaks unintelligibly, and can scarcely 

 write." Even in this condition he received plea- 

 sure from occasional visits to his museum, and more 

 especially from the regard of his sovereign, who did 

 him the honour of going from Ekhelsund to Upsal 

 for the purpose of seeing him, and continued in con- 

 versation with him a whole afternoon. The foL 

 lowing year, finding his infirmities greatly increased, 

 he requested permission to retire from his offices ; 

 but the king would not grant it. On the contrary, 

 his majesty doubled his salary, and gave him two 



