238 LINN^US. 



of medicine and anatomy. Tliat gentleman^ beingad- 

 vanced in years, requested permission to resign, which 

 was granted; but althougli the appointment had been 

 promised to Linnseus, it was not without difficulty 

 that he obtained it. In the mean time, Wallerius, 

 his rival, took every opportunity of impugning his 

 botanical doctrines, with the view of lessening the 

 estimation of his merits ; though the effort tended 

 only to bring himself into contempt. 



The affair was brought before the Diet in 1741, 

 when it was decided that Linnaeus should be pre- 

 ferred to the vacant place. War having broken out 

 between Sweden and Russia, he w as apprehensive of 

 being obliged to officiate as physician to the fleet ; and 

 finding that the government had resolved upon send- 

 ing persons to explore the least-known parts of the 

 Swedish provinces, for the purpose of promoting 

 domestic manufactures, he made application for this 

 office also, which was granted to him. Accompanied 

 by six of his friends, to each of whom w^as assigned 

 a separate department, he accordingly examined the 

 islands of Oeland and Gothland, wdth the view of 

 discovering any earth that might answer for the 

 making of porcelain, and of bringing to light such 

 ingredients, mineral or vegetable, as might be useful 

 in medicine, dyeing, and domestic economy. The 

 expenses of the journey were defrayed by the Board 

 of Manufactures. In the course of this expedition, 

 he narrowly escaped breaking his leg while descend- 

 ing into an alum-pit ; was nearly suffocated among 

 the snow in the vicinity of Blakulla ; and experienced 

 great danger from a violent storm while crossing 

 from Gothland to Upsal. Although he was unable 

 to accomplish the chief object of his mission, he 

 7 



