190 
LINNAEUS 
was balanced by Rosen’s in the second. While 
botany at that time was a main subject in the medical 
curriculum, it would have been unjust to overlook the 
nine years Rosen had acted as deputy. 
Following the practice prevalent at the time, to 
bespeak a patron’s recommendation, Linnaeus applied 
to Tessin, then in Paris; for a single word to Count 
Gyllenborg would have a powerful effect. Tessin 
hastened to carry out this wish, the result being that 
the Chancellor so arranged between the competitors, 
that Rosen should fill the vacancy and that Professor 
Roberg, when he resigned on account of his age, 
should be succeeded by Linnaeus, and that both should 
exchange functions. These views were submitted to 
the King for his approval. 
Before this appointment took place, on the 
ioth July, 1740, the other medical chair in Uppsala 
in consequence of the Chancellor’s powerful action 
became vacant by the resignation of Professor Roberg, 
he stipulating that he might still continue to live in 
the little hospital house, which he had built at his 
own expense. The Chancellor at once wrote agree¬ 
ing in the main, and on the 3rd of May Roberg sent 
in his application to the Consistory, which was 
approved finally by the King. 
To this chair, now at last vacant, Linnaeus put in 
his application on the 13th of July, shortly specifying 
what he had recently set out on his own behalf. 
It might be thought that this would readily be 
arranged, as Linnaeus was the sole applicant for the 
place, but this did not prove to be the case. When 
the matter came before the Consistory, Professor Asp 
brought up a request from the Vice-Chancellor that 
Linnaeus and any other applicant, should, according 
to the Constitution, produce proof of his competence, 
either by disputing or any other suitable means. 
The majority of the Consistory agreed to this, but 
would not be content with any theses being printed 
or written, evidently showing that these professors 
