14 
MEMOIR OF LINNAEUS 
followed the tastes of her husband, and possessed a private col- 
lection, also arranged by Linnaeus. The leisure time in the sum- 
mer vacations was often spent in these occupations ; and the pala- 
ces of Ulrichsdale and Drottingholm, at easy distance from his 
own villa, were often the scene of his studies, and served as ano- 
ther recreation from the more severe duties of his professorship. 
It was at this period of his life, that he was seized with severe 
attacks of gout, which prevented his repose for many nights at a 
time, and which he relieved by eating wild strawberries. These 
were almost the first symptoms of an approaching decay in his 
vigorous constitution. The excitement of seeing a collection of 
novelties had a singular effect ; and an anecdote is preserved, of 
his being cured in this way of a severe fit, by the return of a pu- 
pil from North America. He was afflicted with a violent fit of 
the gout, and was obliged to keep his bed, almost totally deprived 
of the use of his limbs. Wheti he heard of the return of Kalm, 
with a number of new plants and other curiosities, the desire of 
seeing these treasures, and the delight which he felt when he saw 
them, was so great, as actually to make the gout disappear. 
The family of Linnaeus, consisting of only one son and four 
daughters, were now grown up. The son, his first-born, of whom 
so much was expected, inherited a portion of his father's abilities, 
but was not spared to bring them to that maturity which his con- 
stant study for many years would have enabled him. At the early 
age of ten, he is said to have been acquainted with most of the 
plants in the botanic garden, and the highest wishes of his father 
were to render him fit for, and to see him his successor in, the 
botanical chair. 
We have now brought down the principal incidents in the life 
of this great naturalist, to the time, when, though only fifty-six 
years of age, he felt the vigor of his constitution impaired, and 
his versatile mind commencing to wane. He was conscious that 
he had fulfilled his adopted motto, " Famam extendere factis,' and 
