308 
LINNJEUS 
transferred them to other genera, when he had had no 
opportunity of examining them himself. There is an 
element of truth in this, but we must consider how 
many doubtful species were described wrongly by the 
old authors, to explain his unwillingness to recognize 
all their statements. Acrel assures us that “ no one 
could be better pleased than he at being corrected, and 
the disciple who by research could convince him of a 
mistake, became his best friend.” 
The strongest ground upon which people taxed him 
with pride, is derived from his remarks on his own 
merits and work in Afzelius’s “ Egenhandiga anteck- 
ningar af Carl Linnaeus om sig sjelf ” [Remarks under 
Linne’s own hand], but these were jotted down for a 
special purpose. At that time, much importance was 
given to the memorial oration after death, and it was 
not unusual for the man himself to write and leave 
biographies which would spare the speaker special 
trouble. This was the case here; Linne had provided 
his friends Back and M. Beronius with what he wished 
them to say. How could he be expected not to give 
a short summary of what had been expressed in many 
writings on the most varied occasions; if he had 
omitted, denied or lessened these praises, would not 
that have been transparent hypocrisy ? 
Another accusation was of avarice ; but nothing can 
be less admitted than that. Considering his generous 
goodwill to pupils, studious fellow-countrymen, and 
other needy people, the support that he gave to 
scientific travels, and the purchase of costly books, it 
is clear that he thought too little of his own advantage 
or his family requirements. How such an opinion 
could arise was due to the peculiarity of his fondness 
for ducats, especially Dutch. When he received any, 
he hid them carefully in the drawers of his writing- 
table. “ This was only a freak of his,” relates his pupil 
Hedin; whilst Back declares, “ The noblest of metals 
gladdened his eyes, and why should he not collect them, 
as naturally as other things ? ” 
