88 
MEMOIR OF LINNAEUS. 
time of dinner. We returned to him afterward^ 
and spent the evening in his society.” 
It was his custom to make a botanical excursion 
every Saturday, and on these occasions he was 
always accompanied with a joyous troop of attend- 
ants, amounting often to 1 50 pupils, collected from 
all quarters of the world. They were divided into 
small bands, and after dispersing themselves over 
the country, they met again at the place and hour 
appointed, to give an account of their discoveries, 
and hear the explanations of their master. Linnaeus 
kept near himself only the best informed of the class ; 
and it was not unfrequent to hear them, when re- 
turning to their place of rendezvous, raising shouts 
of joy, which the venerable professor never attempted 
to repress. As soon as they had all arrived, he 
classified and described the plants that had been 
gathered ; and when this was done, a table, with 
about twenty covers, was immediately spread and 
loaded with fruits, cheese, milk, and other viands. 
Those of the pupils who had discovered the rarest 
plants, or determined the greatest number, took 
their seats at the table with their master ; the rest 
partook of the refreshment standing, but not with- 
out hopes of one day meriting the honour which 
they all so much envied, and which served to keep 
up among them a powerful spirit of emulation. 
As might have been expected from his great abi- 
lity, the honours and tributes of respect conferred 
upon him after his death, were exceedingly numerous 
