OF THE LIFE OF LINNAEUS. 
2 33 
“ Having told him that Linnaeus had given me lessons at different 
“ times, he rose and exclaimed, “ You know then my master and pro- 
6i fessor, the great Linn-eus ? If you write to him, assure him of my 
veneration, and throw me prostrate before him — (Et mettez moi a genoux 
“ devant lui). — Tell him, that I know no greater man on earth; that I 
owe him my health, nay, even my life.” Rousseau afterward shewed 
“ me Linnjeus’s Philosophia Botanica, saying, “ This book contains 
“ more knowledge than the largest folio volumes. The books which 
“ come from the north generally abound with too much learning; but 
“ this one does not contain a single word which might be considered as 
“ unnecessary.” — Such a panegyric from the mouth of the philosopher 
“ of Geneva , whose taciturnity seldom indulged itself in such flattering 
“ praise, struck me with unexpefled surprise. At the name of Lin- 
n.eus he appeared to be quite enraptured ; “ I am (said he) a pupil of 
t£ Linnaeus, and deem it an honour.” I asked him, what he thought 
“ of Adanson ? He answered, that the latter and Cranz at Vienna, 
“had both borrowed all their knowledge of Linnaeus, and had 
“ attempted afterwards to lessen and calumniate his name, and been 
“ guilty of ingratitude to their master.” 
So lively a genius as that of Linnaeus could never remain inaflive. 
His zeal continued as long as nature left any vitals in his frame. Even 
in the year 1773 he took a share in an enterprise by which the late 
King of Sweden distinguished the beginning of his reign as a lover of 
science. A committee was appointed, consisting of six bishops, six 
doctors in divinity, and eight other literati, charged with a better trans- 
lation of the Bible into the Swedish language, and Linnaeus was 
chosen a member of this committee, for the purpose of ascertaining and 
h h describing 
