268 CHARACTER OF LINN^US. 



the centre of the divisions was an egg, — an allusion to the principle Okf 

 Harvey: " Ovme animal ex ovo," — and to the basis of his sexual 

 system : " Omnis planta e S.emine — at the top was a crown, and on 

 each side another, signifying the three reigns of nature, and borrowed, 

 from the medal which Count Tessin had ordered to be struck in ho- 

 nour of him ; from below appeared the order of the Polar Star, encom- 

 passed by his motto : Famam Extender e Fa6lis. 



The hand which Lin n.€ us wrote, was upon the whole of a diminu-- 

 tive size, but remarkably plain and well formed for a literatus. In the 

 earlier part of his life it must even have been remarked as a fine 

 hand*. 



One of the most distinguished attributes of the mind of LinnjEUs 

 were his religious sentiments, and his profound adoration of the 

 Divinity. He resembled in this respefl, Newton, Haller,. 

 Locke, Euler and others, v/hose respeft of religion rendered their 

 knowledge still more estimable. The deeper he penetrated into the 

 secrets of nature, the more he admired the wisdom of her creator. He 

 praised this wisdom in his works, recommended it by his speeches, and 

 honoured it in his aftions. Whenever he found an opportunity of 

 expatiating on the greatness, the providence, and omnipotence of God, 

 which frequendy happened in his ledures and botanical excursions', 

 bis heart glowed with a celestial fire, and. his mouth poured forth torrents 

 of admirable eloquence. This made him one of the best inculcators 

 of morality ; he instilled by so doing a similar spirit of religion into 

 the breast of his pupils. He kept, as we already observed, a diary 



• This assertion is proved by some Letters of Linnaeus, which the Author himself has 

 seen. 



like 



