ADVENTURES OF LINN^US. 41 



statutes, which the seriate were bound to enforce, by forbidding Lin- 

 N^us to continue his leftures. 



This was a blow which hurled down in a moment the brightest 

 hopes of our hero. His glad prospers changed into dreary views. 

 His ambition was hemmed in the sphere of its operations, and his aftive 

 diligence at once bereft of the only means by which he could support 

 himself. No wonder if the wrath of LiNi«f.tus burst forth in 2. most 

 unbounded manner. In the access of his rage he forgot himself, his 

 future happiness, and every moral consideration. When Rosen left 

 the senate, Linn^us waited on him, with desperate fury drew his 

 sword, and was ready to run it through the body of his enemy, had 

 not the bye-standers fortunately wrested from him that instrument of 

 his vengeance. This violent step excited universal notice. Rosen, 

 who was a member of the academy, complained of this gross assault, 

 and of this daring violation of the laws of public safety. The draw ing 

 of the sword was alone sufficient to annihilate the whole subsequent 

 plan of botanical reform. The rigor of the law threatened Linn/eus 

 with proscription, and he could never afterwards have made his ap- 

 pearance at Upsal. The bad consequences of this decree were, however, 

 warded off by the friends and protetlors of Linn/eus. Olaus Cel- 

 sius interposed, allayed the resentment occasioned by this event, and 

 brought matters so far that punishment was changed into a bare repri- 

 mand. 



LiNN^us was now spared, but he still cherished the idea of ven- 

 geance. His sanguine temper almost drove him to desperation. Still 

 did he medicate the design of stabbing Rosen if 1-ie should meet with 

 him in the streets. While this desperate resolution had insinuated 



G itself 



