23 
his bounden duty, to redeem out of the landlord's keep- 
ing ARTEDI'S effects, including his manuscripts, and to 
retain them until such time as LINN^US should have 
succeeded in procuring the necessary means from Swe- 
den to discharge the debt himself. As matters then 
stood, LINNAEUS could not but entertain fears lest the 
landlord might dispose of the possessions by auction 
to recoup himself for the money he was out of pocket, 
and that by that means the precious manuscripts would 
be scattered in various directions. This appeal to SEBA, 
however, justifiable as it was, proved of no avail. The 
purse-proud man revealed himself in his true colours 
by making shuffling excuses to the effect that he had 
no desire to be mixed up in the affair, that it was no 
concern of his, etc. He even went the length of en- 
deavouring to persuade LINN^US that the best solution 
would be for the things to be put up for auction, for 
there was no one in Amsterdam but himself who would 
trouble about purchasing them, and that when they 
had, by that means, come into his possession, LINN^US 
would be able to have access to them. Plausible as 
that reasoning might seem to its originator, LINNAEUS 
was too shrewd to be taken in by it. He considered 
the advice "utrinque cornutum, anceps et periculosum", 
and determined to look elsewhere for the assistance he 
so sorely needed for rescuing his friend's property. For- 
tunately he was not obliged to search long; his newly 
acquired patron and friend, GEORGE CLIFFORD \ on hear- 
ing of the matter, at once promised to pay the sum 
desired. When he had thus acquired the proprietary 
rights to the manuscripts, he had them copied and then 
handed over to LINNAEUS the copies so made. Thus it 
was that, after much anxiety and considerable labour, 
LINNAEUS was able, thanks to CLIFFORD'S generosity, to 
1 An Englishman by birth who was resident in Holland. He 
was the owner of very fine botanical gardens at Hartecamp, situated 
between Haarlem and Leyden. He was also Head of the Dutch East 
India Company. Concerning his liberality in promoting LINNJEUS' 
studies, see Prof. TH. M. FKIES'S work, entitled "Linne". 
