MfiMOIB OF LINN.EUS. 
39 
So lavish, indeed, was Mr Clifford upon his favourite 
pursuit, that he proposed to send Linnseus to England 
to procure the botanical novelties, and to communicate 
with the most celebrated botanists and horticulturists. 
Linnseus could not resist the offer, and we find our 
enthusiastic naturalist sailing for Great Britain, instead 
of making his way to Sweden. On his arrival at 
London, he waited upon Sir Hans Sloane, to whom 
he had a letter from Boerhaave, which recommended 
him in the strongest language. But neither he nor 
Dillenius, whom he met at Oxford, showed such 
attention as might have been expected from these 
high testimonials. They looked upon him as a young 
innovator, who wished to overturn the old systems, 
only to exalt his own name upon a fleeting eminence. 
Dillenius spoke of him as the “ young man who 
confounds all botany,” — treating him with reserve 
and haughtiness, until his discoveries were truly 
made known to him. 
He visited also Martyn, Ward, Miller, Dr Shaw 
the celebrated traveller, Peter Collinson, &c. ; and on 
his return to the continent, long continued a corre- 
spondence with these naturalists in the terms of the 
most sincere friendship ; exchanged plants and other 
objects of natural history with them, and freely 
canvassed the different opinions set forth by each ; 
and although these were not always unanimously 
decided, they appeared to have had no influence in 
disturbing the alliance previously formed.* 
* Sir J. E. Smith’s Letter*. 
