276 
ANECDOTES. 
“ When I got acquainted with Sir Charles Linnaus, who was. 
« then in his fifty-sixth year, increasing age had already furrowed his 
« front with wrinkles. Ills countenance was open, almost constantly 
« serene, and bore great resemblance to his portrait in the Species Plan- 
S£ tarum. But his eyes, — of all the eyes I ever saw, — were the most 
** beautiful. They certainly were but little, but darted a refulgent 
“ splendor and a penetration of aspect which I never observed before 
il in any other man. It sometimes appeared to me, as if his looks would 
u penetrate through the very innermost recesses of the heart. 
“ His mind was remarkably noble and elevated, though I well know 
C£ that some persons accused him of several faults ; the acuteness and 
energy of his mental faculties, even shone through his eyes- But his 
« greatest excellence consisted in the systematical order, by which his 
« thoughts succeeded each other. Whatever he said or did was faithful 
u to order, to truth, and to regularity. In his youth his memory was 
44 uncommonly vigorous, but it began to sink early into decay. Even 
45 when I was with him, he could not sometimes remember the names 
14 of his dearest friends and relatives. I still recolleQ. to have seen him 
“ once very much embarrassed, when, after writing a letter to Mora- us, 
« his father in-law at Fahlun he almost found it impossible to recollefci 
“ his name. 
44 His passions were strong and violent His heart was open to every 
44 impression of joy; and he loved jocularity, conviviality and good 
44 living. He was an excellent companion, pleasant in conversation, 
“ full of strong hits of fancy and seasonable and entertaining stories ; 
“ but at the same time, suddenly roused to anger and boisterous ; the 
sudden effervescence of this fiery passion subside' however, almost: 
as. 
3 
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