146 
LINNAEUS 
true reason, however, was that his affianced bride in 
Sweden held him back. (“ Sweden ” was the name 
of Moraeus’s country house outside Falun.) 
During this period of uncertainty, Linnaeus found 
himself tolerably active. At one time he went to the 
seashore and botanized, then to Amsterdam, back to 
Leyden, to Utrecht to view the University garden, 
and next day once more to Leyden. He then decided 
to go back to Sweden without delay, but when he 
went to take leave of Boerhaave the latter advised 
him by no means to quit Holland at once, as he in¬ 
tended, but to settle down and live in the Nether¬ 
lands. However, as Linnaeus meant to pass through 
Amsterdam to Sweden, he begged him to call on 
Burman. The latter was born in the same year as 
Linnaeus, at twenty-one years of age became Professor 
of Botany and manager of the Botanic Garden at 
Amsterdam, and died in 1780. 
The next day, 2nd August, he started for that 
town, and hastened to discharge Boerhaave’s 
instructions. During their conversation Burman 
asked what plants in his herbarium Linnaeus wished 
to see. “ I should like to see many, perhaps all,” was 
the answer, “ but I do not know what you possess.” 
On which Burman handed him a dried plant with the 
remark that it was rare. Linnaeus took a flower, 
moistened it in his mouth, examined its parts, and 
declared it to be a Laurus. “ That is no Laurus ,” 
said Burman. “ Yes,” answered Linnaeus, “ and a 
Cinnamomum into the bargain.” “ True, it is a 
Cinnamomum ,” admitted Burman, and then Linnaeus 
gave reasons for uniting both genera. So the talk 
went on, the result being that Burman asked Linnaeus 
if he was willing to help him in working up Ceylon 
plants on which he was then engaged. He also 
offered him a fine room, service and board, and 
Linnaeus closed with the offer till the following year. 
As he at the same time received a bill of exchange for 
200 silver dalers [,£15] from Sohlberg, he could view 
