156 
LINNAEUS 
long-syllabled names. Linnaeus, who had come to 
recognize the unsuitability of these names, and who 
probably found it difficult to speak Latin with an 
Englishman, maintained a reserved silence, which 
Miller conceived as due to ignorance. “ This 
Clifford’s botanist does not know a single plant ” was 
the judgment he formed and expressed to an expert, 
who reported it to Linnaeus. When on the next day, 
Miller employed the same kind of names, Linnaeus 
thought he ought to point out the existence of other 
names, more accurate and shorter, which should be 
used, and gave an instance, whereupon Miller took 
offence and became unfriendly, but this ill-humour 
soon passed away. 
From London, Linnaeus travelled to Oxford, 
where he saw Sherard’s herbarium, library and the 
University garden. His judgment on the collection 
of dried plants was that it excelled all others in 
European, but he was less impressed by the exotics. 
He was kindly received by Dr. Thomas Shaw, 
Divinity Professor, who had travelled in Barbary and 
was especially charming, as he considered himself a 
disciple of Linnaeus, after reading his system with 
much enjoyment. Linnaeus longed most to become 
acquainted with Dr. Dillenius, the then Sherardian 
Professor of Botany. His surprise therefore was 
great, when on his visit to him he was received so 
haughtily, that he was scarcely invited to step in. 
Linnaeus heard also, before he was admitted, that the 
professor remarked to James Sherard, who was 
present: “This is he who is bringing all botany into 
confusion.” A walk in the garden, however, was 
taken, and then Dillenius burst out with little angry 
remarks and contemptuous gestures. Linnaeus, not 
allowing this behaviour to frighten him, stayed with 
him three days, but was hardly permitted to see a 
single plant. 
During this walk in the garden Linnaeus noticed 
I 'Antirrhinum minus which was unknown to him, 
