PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR. 



ix 



had the good fortune to colleft many valuable fa£ls, which 

 would, in all probability, have otherwise bee,n totally lost. I 

 feel also great pleasure to premise here, that even in Szveden 

 my design has given birth to an enterprise, which will refleft 

 fresh honour on the memory of Linn.eus. 



That a detailed portraiture of that great luminary was no 

 trifling labour, needs, from what has already been alledged, 

 neither mention nor proof. As a friend to the history of lite- 

 rature, as an admirer of literary merit which it is destined to 

 record, I took upon me to draw this pi6ture, with the humble, 

 modest wish, that a better one may start The resources 

 which I used in the performance of this arduous task, were 

 documents in different languages, partly printed, partly in ma- 

 nuscript. I collated and profited by them with critical keen- 

 ness, and chose Truth to be my guide. Through many tortu- 

 rous w^indings was I obliged to seek her; yet I found my 

 industry truly rewarded. Some generous men, friends of 

 truth, and privy to many minute circumstances relative to 

 LiNN^us, offered me with pleasure an helping hand, for 

 which I thus publicly acknowledge my warmest and most 

 heartfe:lt gratitude. I farther confidently declare, that the 

 Piibhc, in whose esteem they have long held a distinguished 

 rank, will think themselves more obliged by their combined 



* Salvo mcliorl. 

 b 



assistance 



