MEMOIR OF LINNyEUS. 
15 
was willing to relinquish his office, before its duties became too 
severe for his declining health ; and after academical services for 
a period of thirty years, Linnaeus respectfully entreated his majesty, 
Gustavus, who had succeeded to the throne upon the demise of 
his parent, to accept his resignation. His request was declined 
with the most flattering objections, and the king refused to deprive 
Upsala of her chief splendor ; but he increased the salary, and 
allowed the young Linnaeus to be placed as assistant to the pro- 
fessorship, under the superintendence of his father. Thus did 
Linnaeus see the fulfilment of his brightest hopes, in the appoint- 
ment of his son, at the early age of twenty-two, to a chair which 
would have been looked upon through Europe, as the greatest 
and most difficult to be represented. 
Notwithstanding the relief which Linnaeus experienced by 
the assistance of his son, his activity and public duties continued 
unabated at intervals till 1776, two years before his death, when 
he suffered a second shock, which had an effect upon his speech, 
though he still retained a part of his wonted cheerfulness. He 
was carried to his museum, where he viewed with delight the 
treasures he had collected together from all parts of the world, 
and showed additional vigor upon seeing any new or rare pro- 
duction, which the attention of his friends still furnished to him. 
Towards the end of this year he suffered a third and fatal blow. 
His right side became completely dead. It was necessary to lead, 
support, dress, and feed him. His mental faculties wasted with 
his body, and his earthly frame became to him a burden. In this 
distressing state he continued nearly twelve months, at times suf- 
fering great agony from his previous disease ; and, as the powers 
of his constitution became exhausted, he became insensible to pain, 
and expired in a gentle slumber, on the afternoon of the 10th of 
January, 1778, aged seventy years and seven months. 
Thus terminated the active and ever-searching life of this 
pious and illustrious man, depriving natural history of her bright- 
