404 ACCOUNTS RESPECTING LINNyEUS. 



and to explain to the Prince, especially the opal of Nonnius, and that 

 most rare one, which Cronstedt, the Swedish mineralogist, describes 

 to be of a brown and of a blood red colour, made his Highness desire 

 me to give Linn^us some account of the above interesting and cu- 

 rious opal. 



I obeyed the Prince's command with the greatest pleasure, gave 

 LiNNvfius the desired account, and sent him at the same time some 

 curious gems. He thanked me for my present in a most obliging letter, 

 which I received June 24, 1771 *. Long had I felt a wish of getting 

 acquainted with that great man. My mineralogical tours to the forest 

 Harzwald, through Saxony, Holland, France, Sec. precluded me however 

 from gratifying that wish. In 1775 I went to Copenhagen, where I had 

 formerly passed a few weeks with great utility and delight. On the 20th 

 of September I took my departure from that capital in company of a 

 a Swedish literatus, with whom I made acquaintance at the house of the 

 Swedish ambassador; repaired to Lund, where I saw the botanical garden 

 and every thing that was remarkable, and reached Stockhobn at the end 

 of the same month. During my abode in Szveden 1 visited the villa of 

 Toreso, belonging to Count Scheffer, who received me with un- 

 bounded kindness and cordiality. The late King, to whom I had been 

 presented at Hamburgh, while Prince Royal, had ascended the throne, 

 and was just then on a tour through the Swedish provinces. " I had 

 " the pleasure," said Count Scheffer, "to introduce you to his Ma- 

 " jesty as Prince Royal, and you "hall not go hence before I shall also 

 " have introduced you to him as King. Waiting his return, you would 



* See the above letter in Colkilio Ep'utolarm C.^ROU A Likne, &c. Edidit. D. H. 

 Stoever, Hamburg , 1192. 



'3 "do 



