316 LINNiEUS AND THE JUSSIEUS 



The work was nearly finished when Artedi, returning 

 by night from Seba's house, fell into a canal and was 

 drowned ; he is still remembered as one of the founders 

 of Ichthyology. 



In 1736 Linnaeus paid a three-months' visit to 

 England, the cost being borne by Cliffort. Sir Hans 

 Sloane, though seventy-six years of age, was stUl presi- 

 dent of the Royal Society. Linnaeus called upon him, 

 but Sloane cared nothing about innovations in botany, 

 and gave his visitor a cool reception ; so did the West- 

 phalian Dillenius, Sherardian professor at Oxford, and 

 Philip Miller, gardener to the Apothecaries' Company 

 at Chelsea, though a little later Dillenius would have 

 been glad to keep Linnaeus in England, to help him 

 with his botanical undertakings. 



On returning to Holland Linnaeus once more took up 

 the old laborious life, but it was not long before his 

 health gave way. He quitted Hartenkamp, intending to 

 return home, but allowed himself to be detained for a 

 year at Leyden. A rumour that the young lady whom 

 he had left in Falun was being pressed by another 

 suitor then reached his ears, and after this nothing 

 could detain him. He set out for Paris, where he met 

 Bernard de Jussieu, Reaumur and other prominent 

 French naturalists, took ship for Sweden, and arrived 

 there in July, 1738. At this moment his best prospects 

 seemed to lie in the direction of medical practice. His 

 merit as a botanist was known only to a few, and was 

 deliberately lowered by his rivals. Count Tessin how- 

 ever exerted himself to procure pensions and offices for 

 him. Linnaeus was married at Falun in 1739, but the 

 wife for whom he had waited so long proved to be 

 selfish and disagreeable. . 



The death of Rudbeck in 1740 created a vacancy in 



