TEACHER AND PUPILS 
213 
was cleared away, and the rich fields of Nature were 
illuminated before their eyes. He was a skilful 
guide who threw a new light over natural objects. 
Further, to have been a student “ under Linne ” was 
a memory for life, and each one wished to take with 
him from the University, the proud title of haying 
been “ Linne’s pupil/’ 
Another weighty cause of his success was that 
during the Era of Liberty, began a reigning utili¬ 
tarianism, or a desire to make the most of the country’s 
productiveness. Those who were intended for the 
priesthood, saw that they would succeed better by 
acquiring some knowledge of natural history and 
medical science. Their note-books were as text¬ 
books, and in after life became valuable. 
For his own part, Linne (to use the Swedish form 
of his name), though belonging to the “ Hats ” party, 
quite sympathized with his students’ views in their 
desire to attain to a useful knowledge for their 
country’s welfare. 
There is still another reason to be assigned for his 
popularity, namely his sympathetic personality. He 
had an almost magic power of attraction while possess¬ 
ing a charming personality, and as he was fresh and 
lively in his teaching, it formed a contrast to the dry 
reading of a written lecture, which then, and for long 
after, most of the professors inflicted upon their 
hearers. The best representations of his lectures are 
obtained in the sketches which some of his pupils 
gave. Thus J. G. Acrel remarks: “ In the pro¬ 
fessorial chair he had a special eloquence peculiar to 
himself, and although he was helped neither by a 
powerful nor melodious voice, nor by particularly 
winning utterance (for he spoke the Smaland dialect) 
he never failed to interest his hearers in the highest 
degree. He seemed to give expression in his short 
sentences to the weight by emphasis he gave his 
meaning, so that it was impossible for anyone to fail 
to be convinced of what he argued. He who heard 
