LINN.^US. 365 



Johnson. It would even seem that he had a kind of 

 antipathy to certain combinations of harmonious 

 sounds although it is clear that he enjoyed the lively 

 song of the thrush and skylark, which he mentions 

 in his Lapland journey as affording him delight. 



With respect to his domestic relations, it is agreed 

 by his biographers that he manifested a very ami- 

 able character. He was a faithful and tender hus- 

 band, although his consort possessed few estimable 

 qualities; a fond and indulgent father, although 

 his children obtained a much smaller share of his 

 solicitude than his garden and museum. His wife, 

 who, as we have seen, took charge of all his domes- 

 tic arrangements, is described as having been of a 

 masculine appearance, selfish, domineering, and des- 

 titute of accomplishments. Unable to hold any share 

 in rational conversation, she had little desire to en- 

 courage it in others ; and as her parsimony was still 

 greater than her husband's, we may suppose that 

 her mode of management was not very conducive to 

 the comfort of her guests. As a mother being inca- 

 pable of estimating the advantages of proper train- 

 ing, her daughters were in a great measure left 

 destitute of the polite acquirements becoming their 

 station in society ; and the father being, as he says, 

 '' naturae productis unice intentus," did not trouble 

 himself about uninteresting affairs of this nature. 

 The result, so far as regards his son, we shall see in 

 a subsequent section. 



It is generally acknowledged that Linnaeus was 

 more addicted to the love of gold than becomes a 

 philosopher, and that his style of living was by no 

 means equal to his income. '' For my own part," 

 says his pupil Fabricius, " I can easily excuse him 



