30 JOURNEY TO LAPLAND. 



to more than one hundred Swedijh platens, or to seven pounds ten 

 shillings sterling at farthest. 



If there be a science which to raise its votary to celebrity requires 

 the courage of enthusiasm, and the patience of labour and difficulty, 

 that science is botany. The divine, the lawyer, the philosopher, the 

 bel-esprit can become great men in their own closets ; the astronomer 

 by observing the spheres of the worlds from the observatory can gain 

 an immortal name ; but it is not thus with the botanist and natural 

 historian. Nature requires the personal contemplation and scrutiny of 

 her secrets and curiosities. Hence the goddess of no science had ever 

 so many zealous lovers, no science so many who fell victims to their 

 devotion of study, as that of natural history. 



LiNN^us accepted the proposal of the journey in autumn of 17319 

 and visited in winter professor Stob^eus, his late benefaftor at Lund^ 

 and his parents, who were now more reconciled to him, and smiled at 

 his progress. Thence he returned to Upsal in April, to prepare everj 

 thing for his peregrination in the Siberia of his country. 



Immediately on the return of spring, which seldom chears the year 

 at Stockholm before May, he commenced his journey on horseback, on 

 the second day of that month, that he might not be over-fatigued when 

 he arrived at the place of his destination. He took his route to 

 Gevali, through the North-eastern province of Norland, along the 

 gulph of Bothnia. From thence he was to proceed North-west to the 

 Southernmost province of Lapland, called Umea Lapmark ; but spring 

 had not visited this district at the latter end of May. The country was 

 replete with the dreary scenes of winter, and threatened the traveller 

 with disappointment and destru8.ion. People persuaded Li n n u s not 



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