t n ] 



letters, to whom our author dedicated his Bihlk- 

 theca Botanica^ having been greatly affifted in com- 

 piling that work, by the free accefs he had to that 

 gentleman's excellent library, John Frederick Grono^ 

 vius^ of LeydeUy editor of Clayton's Flora Virginica^ 

 and who very early adopted Linnaus\ fyftem ; 

 Baron Van Swieten^ late phyfician to the Emprefs 

 Queen \ Ifaac Lawfon^ before-mentioned, after- 

 wards one of the phyficians to the Britifh army^ 

 who died much regretted at Oofierhout^ in the year 

 1747, and from whom Linnam received fingular 

 and very important civilities ; Kramer^ fince well 

 known for an excellent treatife on the Doci- 

 maftic Art \ Van Royen^ botanic profelTor at 

 ,^Leyden Lieherkun^ of Berlin^ famous for his fl^iil 

 in microfcopical inftruments and experiments. On 

 this occafion it is not foreign to our plan to 

 remark, that Linn^us, being prefent with feveral 

 of thefe gentlemen, at a meeting when the latter 

 was exhibiting the animalcules in femine mafculino^^ 

 openly declared his opinion, that thefe molecula^ 

 were not true animalcules ; and he appears ever 

 afterwards to have retained the fame opinion re- 

 lating to them. To thefe may b^ added alfo the 

 names of Alhinus and Gaubius^ and of others, were 

 it requifite, to fliew that our author's talents had 

 very early rendered him confpicuous, and gained 

 him the regard of all thofe who cultivated and 

 patronized any branch of medical fcience ; and to 

 which, doubtlefs, the fingular notice with which 

 Boerbaave honoured him, did not a little contri- 

 bute. 



Early in the year after Lj^nn^us had left 



J Mr.r 



