OPPONENTS OF LINNAEUS. 
in 
was Baron Albrecht Haller. Linnzeus had hist got acquainted 
with him by a botanical treatise which Haller published in the year 
1734, in a periodical work, at Nuremberg, entituled : Commercia Lit- 
ter aria*. Fear and anxiety, more than esteem, made him, in 1737* 
correspond with this young man, who in the preceding year had been 
appointed professor of the new-founded university of Goettingen, which 
was the first step to his greatness. 
Linnaeus had heard of his friend Gronov, at Leyden, a report that 
Haller intended to write against his new system. He therefore wrote 
a letter to him from Hartecamp , dated on the 5th ol April. The con- 
tents of this letter characterize too much his cast of mind for us to 
omit it here : 
„« I have just received intelligence of your intending to declare 
cc hostilities against me. Permit me, therefore, to come to a more cir- 
« cumstantial explanation with you on this subjeft. I could wish to 
« avoid, as much as possible, your displeasure and your attacks. Much 
« rathe r would I choose to side with you. Nothing would be more 
« unpleasant to me than to be your adversary. Peace be with us ! 
ce Ever since your name has been known to me, 1 always felt the highest 
« esteem for you. To my knowledge, I never have done aught that 
« might have given you offence. Why will you then challenge me to 
« fight? say, what could make me incur your displeasure? I will give 
« you satisfaction. — Peace be with us ! 
Should my innocent sexsual system be the cause of this war, 
« it would be a very unjust one : I have never pretended that the 
# Ad rei Med ; cs et Scicntlse Naturalis incrementa. This work appeared in 15 volumes 
quarto, from 1731 till I 74 S- « me thod 
2 
