292 
LINNAEUS 
rumour. However, at the end of 1 754 ? Back really 
became betrothed to Anna Charlotta Adlerberg, the 
wedding being celebrated in March the year after. 
Linne, not being able to be present, meant to have 
had a quiet celebration at home, but the apothecary, 
D. W. Bottiger, persuaded him to be present at a 
formal collation, when healths were drunk and the 
festivities lasted till one o’clock next morning, when 
Linne and his wife went home. Soon after, the newly 
wedded pair visited Linne at his Uppsala house. 
This change in Back’s mode of life did not in the 
least disturb the old friendship. On his Stockholm 
visits Linne was so hospitably received by Back and 
his wife that he soon came to call the latter “ Sister ”— 
having long before called Back “ Brother ”—the 
intimate form of address in Sweden. It was therefore 
with the keenest sorrow that he heard of her death in 
1767, and a long and most sympathetic letter to the 
bereaved husband testified to his deep feeling at 
Back’s loss. 
Affection for the parents continued also for their 
children. On the first being born Linne was invited 
to become godfather, which position he gladly accepted, 
and afterwards frequently referred to the little maid, 
who, however, died early. When a son was born, he 
was baptized Carl Abraham Back, and in due time he 
had as his tutor one of Linne’s pupils, D. H. Soder- 
berg. Unhappily, the son, inheriting his mother’s 
tendency to consumption, died in 1776, at the age of 
sixteen. At this time Linne was laid aside by repeated 
strokes of apoplexy, and his attempt to console his 
friend only resulted in a few sentences, “ Farewell. 
I am Brother’s, Brother is mine, constant to death, 
Broth-” this pathetic fragment closing the long 
friendship. By some mischance this letter, addressed 
to “ M : sr Abrah. Brach,” was never despatched, but 
being found amongst Linne’s papers after his death, 
was sent to Back by the younger Linne thirteen 
months after it was penned. 
