290 
LINNAEUS 
The short time which Hopken had as Chancellor 
prevented any deep impression being made by him in 
University matters, but it was with Linne that he 
chiefly consulted on such subjects. 
At the time when Linne felt worn out with the 
duties of his chair, Hopken confessed to him that he 
too was weary of the Chancellorship. In 1763 he 
wrote, “ Would that all the Archiater’s colleagues were 
like him, more devoted to science than to schemes 
and intrigues/' and later, “ among the advantages he 
had enjoyed during office, he counted his acquaintance 
with Linne.” 
When Hopken withdrew from political and 
academic strife to his estate of Ulfasa, the corres¬ 
pondence between him and Linne became closer, as 
shown by many warm expressions in Hopken’s letters. 
In 1774 he wrote, “ I long for Uppsala, not indeed for 
its own sake, but that I might have the pleasure of 
talking with the Archiater.” 
Linne’s most intimate friend, however, was 
Abraham Back (1713-1795). They first became 
acquainted in 1740, when both were candidates for the 
Chair of Medicine at Uppsala, and thence began a 
friendship so warm, intimate and unclouded, that a 
similar instance can hardly be found. Their truly 
brotherly love showed itself in many ways; in 1774 
Linne noted, “ Each time he stayed in Stockholm, he 
lodged with his best and truest friend, Archiater Back, 
as with his bodily brother.” The evenings and much 
of the nights were spent in talk, earnest or playful, and 
so refreshed was Linne on such occasions, that he 
could write, “ Ever since I was at Stockholm I have 
been livelier, better for work and quicker; before, I 
was depressed and melancholy, and could do nothing.” 
Back had contrived the visit to be so enjoyable, that 
he willingly tried to tempt Linne to come again 
soon. 
It was not only the personal meetings which made 
the friendly ties between them, but the intimate cor- 
