Life of Linnoius. 151 



of heat and light evolved by combustion of the vapor of water mixed 

 with that of spirits of turpentine or alcohol, and duly modified by com- 

 mon air. The results are very striking and beautiful, and we can see 

 no reason why they should not prove of great practical utility. — Ed. 



Art. XX. — Life of Linnceus ; by A. L. A. Fee ; — in 1 vol. 8vo., 

 forming the first part of the Memoirs of the Royal Society of 

 Sciences, Agriculture and Arts of Lille for 1832. 



(Translated for this Journal from the Bib. Univ., by J. H. Griscom, M. D.) 



Much has been written upon Linnaeus; and the eminent rank which 

 he held, and the prodigious influence which he exerted over natural 

 history, render what has been written sufficiently intelligible. But of 

 the biographical works which we possess in French upon this man of 

 genius, some are either too devoid of details, to give much account of 

 his history, or written too soon after his death to enable their authors 

 to appreciate his influence with impartiality. Men are, in truth, like 

 edifiices ; in looking at them when close at hand, we can form a just 

 estimate only of those which are made up of details and do not rise 

 to a very great height ; but with regard to temples and elevated obe- 

 lisks, we can judge of them only at a distance. With respect to 

 men who have been predominant in their age, and have impressed 

 upon it a new direction, we can judge of them properly only after 

 their works have borne their fruits, and prejudices have become ex- 

 tinct. Mr. Fee has therefore rendered a real service to the history 

 of science, in collecting and arranging carefully all the most authen- 

 tic statements which could be found, either in works published m 

 Sweden or Germany, or in the manuscripts which he was able to 

 procure, relative to the life of the Reformer of natural history. 



His work is composed, 1st, of the translation of the life of Lin- 

 nffius, written by himself, and published by his disciple Afzelius j 

 2d, of extracts from his correspondence with naturalists of his time j 

 3d, of a collection of anecdotes relating to Linnaeus and his labors ; 

 4th, of a bibliographical notice of his works. 



Linnaeus has on many occasions related the story of hjs own life, 

 and the narrative which forms the first part of Mr. Fee's work is the 

 most complete of these different auto-biographies. Even in the trans- 

 lation, the peculiar style of Linnaeus may be recognized ; it is a rapid 

 recital, precise, full of fact,, with occasional flashes from the fire of 

 a poetic imagination. 



