OF THE LIFE OF LINN^US. 



Besides the beauties of the vegetable reign, there was also at this uni- 

 versity a colle6lion of curiosities of the animal reign, which were in- 

 creased in process of time by a civet cat, a casuar from Ceylon^ and 

 many others. 



In the possession of these treasures and other conveniences of life, 

 Lin Nit us was now as happy as his wishes could make him. He ac- 

 knowledged his fortunate situation in a public manner. — " I thank 

 " Providence," said he in a programma^ in which he celebrated the anni- 

 versary of the king's birth-day in 1752, " which has guided my destinies, 

 " that I now live, nay that I live happier than a king of Persia. I tell 

 " the truth, when I deem myself fortunate. You know fathers and fel- 

 " low^citizens of this academy, that I am wholly occupied with this aca- 



demical garden, that it is my Rhodus or rather my Elysium. There I 

 « possess all the spoils of the East and the West which I wished for, 



and which, in my belief, are far more precious than the silken gar- 

 *' ments of the Babylonians and the porcelain vases of the Chinese. 

 " There I receive and convey instruction. There I admire the wisdom 

 " of the creator, which manifests itself in so many various modes, and 

 «' demonstrate it to others*." 



The royal family of Siveden, whose favour he had particularly gained 

 by personal acquaintance, and by arranging the royal cabinets of na- 

 tural history, increased his happiness, and rewarded his merits in the 



* Deo optimo gratiam habeo, qui sic fata mea dispersavit, vit hoc tempore vivaui, idque 

 ita, ut Rege Persarum beatior vivam. Verum narro, duni me beatum ceiiseo. Nostis, patres 

 cive que, quod in Horto Academico totus sim, quod liic mea Rhodus sit, aut potius h»c 

 meiim Eiysium. Teneo hie, quae volo spolia Orientis Occidentisque, et nisi me fallo, id quod 

 Babyloniorum vestibus, Sinensiumque vasis, longe est speciosius. Hic disco et doceo. Hinc 

 summi opificis sapentiam ipse, aliis aliisque documentis se prodentem, admirOr aliisque nion- 

 stro. Amcenit. Academic, 'vol. x. Edit. Schreber. p. 30. 



3 



worthiest 



