114 LINNAEUS 
[an allusion to the army raised by Gustaf Vasa in 
Dalecarlia]. 
What we infer from this quotation—and herein all 
who speak of “ persecutions ” against Linnaeus agree 
—is that the University Adjunct, Dr. Nils Rosen, is 
pointed out as the hateful persecutor, who did not 
spare even the most paltry and infamous methods to 
attain his object. The mainspring of his atrocious 
conduct may have been, as Linnaeus saw, a strong 
feeling of pride and ambition, and a fear that Lin¬ 
naeus was a dangerous competitor for the professor’s 
chair, when the aged Rudbeck should quit the same. 
(Rosen was born in 1706, student at Lund 1720, 
Adjunct at Uppsala 1728, M.D. at Harderwijk in 
Holland 1730, professor at Uppsala 1740, and died 
1773) 
Before we proceed to examine these accusations 
with which some endeavoured to blacken Rosen’s 
reputation, a glance must be given to the position 
which he held at the beginning of 1730 at Uppsala 
University. It has already been stated (p. 29) how 
he became Adjunct in the medical faculty, and after¬ 
wards undertook a long journey abroad, during which 
he enjoyed the instruction of Boerhaave and other 
eminent physicians and naturalists. Returned to 
Uppsala during the spring term of 1731, he began at 
once with great energy to carry on instruction in 
anatomy (until then neglected), to the students’ 
benefit and satisfaction. At the same time he became 
the only and most eminent physician in practice at 
Uppsala, as well as the most distinguished teacher. 
From 1732 and onwards, he discharged the require¬ 
ments of his time in irreproachable fashion, including 
lectures and demonstrations in botany. In short, he 
was then almost the only one who continued instruc¬ 
tion in the medical faculty, and that in a very service¬ 
able way. 
This was generally recognized both in Uppsala 
and elsewhere. So much so that when Kilian 
