CHARACTER OF LINNALUS. 
265 
44 forded me more pleasure than an hundred ducats would have done, 
44 I am astonished at your boundless industry in colle&ing, classing* 
“ and describing your work. None but him who had a share in such 
44 labour can form himself an adequate idea of it*.” 
To the poor — and even to the rich, foreign students, who resided at 
Upsal entirely on his account, he left the whole of the perquisites, 
which they must otherwise have paid him for his leftures. To the 
former he remitted that money from pure motives of beneficence, and 
from the latter he would not receive it, that he might convince them 
how nobly proud he was of his science. Besides the testimony which 
professor Fabricius gives in this particular with regard to Zoega 
and himself, we will communicate here the following farther illustra- 
tions of the generosity of Linnaeus. 
When Dr. Gieseke took his leave of our luminary in autumn of 
1771, he presented to him a Swedish bank note as an acknowledgment 
for the pains he had taken to instruft him, but he absolutely declined 
acceptance. After reiterated intreaties he asked Gieseke : — 44 Pray, 
44 tell me candidly, are you rich, and can you afford it — can you well 
44 spare this money on your return to Germany ? If you can, give 
44 the bank note to my wife. But should you be poor, so help me 
44 God, I would not take a single farthing from you. +.” 
* Post varia frustranea tentamina tandem accept tuam Entomologiam Carniolicam cxhiben» 
tem insedhe Carnioliae indigenae, Vindob 1768, 8vo. maj.) eamque ex Belgio et quidem sumpti- 
bus trium fere ducatorum aureorum pro solo tabellario adducente ; neque hoc doleo, quum 
ex ea plus obleflamenti hauserim, quam ex centum ducatis. Obstupesco ad infinitum labo. 
oem, in colligendo describendo et disporiendo, quem nullus alius intelligere usquam potest, 
nisi oui ipse manum labqri admovit. 
t Nam si pauper esses— ita me Deusl— (this was the usual form of oath of Linnjeus) 
«e obolum a tc acciperem. 
m m 
« To 
