318 
LINNAEUS 
certain of her future looks. Still another lady was 
suggested, but she was disfigured with pock-marks, 
the result being that he never found his ideal, and 
remained unmarried. 
Linne’s other son, Johan, born in 1754, only lived 
three years, and a daughter, Sara Lina, lived but a 
fortnight after her birth. 
The four daughters who grew up were described 
by Fabricius as being “ all quick, but raw children of 
Nature, without those fine manners with which their 
bringing up should have provided them.” How far 
this is true cannot be determined, but it may be taken 
that the children’s training could only be faulty, as the 
mother herself was rough and uneducated, so naturally 
she could not direct her children wisely. Oppor¬ 
tunities of acquiring book learning and society’s polite 
ways were few in so small a town, consequently 
Linne’s wish was that they should grow up hearty, 
strong housekeepers, and not as fashionable dolls. 
So when poor students, as often happened, were 
invited to dinner in the Linnean home, it was with the 
distinct proviso that they should not lend the girls 
any books by which they might learn French or any 
other useless accomplishments. This went so far, 
that Linne himself prevented his wife when she did 
her best to provide more tuition for the young girls. 
It is said that once when he was in Stockholm, the 
mother placed the youngest, Sophia, in a school, but 
when the father came home and missed his favourite 
he betook himself at once to the school, and begged 
the teacher to grant an hour’s leave. This could not 
be denied to the Archiater and Knight, and he thus 
enjoyed the society of his girl. The same thing 
happening the next day, it was repeated day after 
day. 
Towards his daughters he was very tender, almost 
too weak, allowing them to do whatever they liked. 
Great was his trouble when Sara Christina, aged three, 
was so ill that one day they despaired of life. Two 
