268 
CHARACTER OF LINNAEUS. 
the centre of the divisions was an egg, — an allusion to the principle of 
Harvey: “ Omne animal ex ovo ,” — and to the basis of his sexual 
system : u Omnis planta e Semine — at the top was a crown, and on 
each side another, signifying the three reigns of nature, and borrowed 
from the medal which Count Tessin had ordered to be struck in ho- 
nour of him ; from below appeared the order of the Polar Star, encom- 
passed by his motto : Famam Extendere Fattis. 
The hand which Linn.® us wrote, was upon the whole of a diminu- 
tive size, but remarkably plain and well formed for a literatus. In the 
earlier part of his life it must even have been remarked as a fine 
hand*. 
One of the most distinguished attributes of the mind of Linn® us 
were his religious sentiments, and his profound adoration of the 
Divinity. He resembled in this respeft, Newton, Haller, 
Locke, Euler and others, whose respeft of religion rendered their 
knowledge still more estimable. The deeper he penetrated into the 
secrets of nature, the more he admired the wisdom of her creator. He 
praised this wisdom in his works, recommended it by his speeches, and 
honoured it in his a&ions. Whenever he found an opportunity of 
expatiating on the greatness, the providence, and omnipotence of God, 
which frequently happened in his leHures and botanical excursions, 
his heart glowed with a celestial fire, and his mouth poured forth torrents 
of admirable eloquence. This made him one of the best inculcators 
of morality ; he instilled by so doing a similar spirit of religion into 
the breast of his pupils. He kept, as we already observed, a diary 
* This assertion is proved by some Letters of Linn® us, which the Author himself has 
seen. 
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