OPPONENTS OF LINN /E US. 115 



proud of his confidence, and still more animated with a desire of sport- 

 ing his own knowledge, returned an answer, with a criticism, in which 

 he hinted at .several erroneous assertions, and manifested his predi- 

 Ie6lion for his own system. " Rest assured," said Linn.eus, " that 

 " as a stranger, I love and esteem you with ali my heart, you will not 

 *' therefore, take it amiss, if, in a friendly and confidential manner, I 

 *« say a few words, respecting your excellent treatise*." But Haller 

 was displeased, and manifested his displeasure to him at his amicable 

 severity. 



LiNNiEus hastened to appease his resentment. He did not expect 

 that his critique would be so ill receivedt. In a letter to Haller, 

 written on the 8th of 06tober, he says : " Do not believe that I write 

 <« against you from enmity. I take Almighty God to witness, that 

 " there is no botanist whom I esteem, revere, and love more than you. 

 " So think not ill of me. If I have selefted the names of all the 

 " genera of which you have a different opinion, it was not to cer\sure 

 « you, but to know the truth, and to confirm myself to it on future 

 occasions. I only beg here that you may no farther think of ali 

 which gave you offence in my last letter. You shall never have 



* Si persuasus sis, me, quern vidisti nunquam, te ex animo amare magnifice facere, nec 

 segre f«res, si pauca tecum loquar de tua dissertatione, certe magni laboris pere. 



f Ne putes me ex studio inimica mente contra te scribere. Testor omnipotentem Deum, 

 me nullum Botanicum majori in pretio, honore et amore habere quam te ! Sentias itaque 

 non de me male ! Excerpsl ex tuls generibus nomina circa quae dissentiisti a me, non ut te 

 reprehenderem, sed ut certior fierem et in tempore me corrigerem — Unice ore, rejicias a 

 tua mente omnia, quae ultima epistclate oft'enderunt. Ivuiiquam habebis apud me causam 

 i^a^; me amabis dum me presentem videas, meumque aninium. Quanti ego te fecerim, vel 

 me absente coram te declarabunt, vel quidem milii inimici. Boleo maxime quod in me lassus fuei it 

 tuus ia me generosus animus ; culpam depioro, veniam precor ! Spero te hiice satisfaftum, 

 quod si sis, et amicus ret antea. Epistoi. ad Haller. Vol. I. p. 337. 



Q 2 " occasioH 



