OPPONENTS OF LINNAEUS. 
ll S 
proud of his confidence, and still more animated with a desire of sport- 
ing his own knowledge, returned an answer, with a criticism, in which 
he hinted at several erroneous assertions, and manifested his predi- 
leftion for his own system. 44 Rest assured,” said Linnaeus, “ that 
44 as a stranger, I love and esteem you with all my heart, you will not 
44 therefore, take it amiss, if, in a friendly and confidential manner, I 
« say a few words, respe£ting your excellent treatise*.” But Haller 
was displeased, and manifested his displeasure to him at his amicable 
severity. 
Li n n jE us hastened to appease his resentment. He did not expeft 
that his critique would be so ill received t. In a letter to Haller, 
written on the 8th of October, he says : 44 Do not believe that I write 
44 against you from enmity. I take Almighty God to witness, that 
44 there is no botanist whom I esteem, revere, and love more than you. 
44 So think not ill of me. If I have seleHed the names of all the 
44 genera of which you have a different opinion, it was not to censure 
44 you, but to know the truth, and to confirm myself to it on future 
44 occasions. I only beg here that you may no farther think of all 
44 which gave you offence in my last letter. You shall never have 
* Si persuasus sis, me, quem vidisti nunquam, te ex animo amare magnifice facere, nec 
jegre feres, si pauca tecum loquar de tua dissertatione, certe magni laboris pere. 
+ Ne putes me ex studio inimica mente contra te scribere. Testor omnipotentem Deum, 
me nullum Botanicum majori in pretio, lionore et amore habere quam te ! Sentias itaque 
non de me male ! Excerpsi ex tuls generibus nomina circa quae dissentiisti a me, non ut te 
reprehenderem, sed ut certior fierem et in tempore me corrigerem— Unice oro, rejicias a 
tua mente omnia, quae ultima epistolate offenderunt. Nunquam habebis apud me causam 
ira; • me arnabis dum -me presentem videas, meumque animum. Quanti ego te fecerim, vel 
me absente coram te declarabunt, vel quidem mihi inimici. Dolco maxime quod in me hesus fuerit^ 
tuus in me generosus animus j culpam depioro, veniam precor 1 Spero te hiscc satisfa&um, 
quod si sis, et amicus ret antea. ifpistol. ad Haller. Vol. I. p. 337. 
0 . 2 
44 occasion 
