326 
LINNAEUS 
that the plan of his son succeeding him might be 
surrendered. The complaint should therefore rather 
be directed against the Secret Committee, and the 
Estates. Further, it may be noted that a similar 
right, without observing the legal forms for the creation 
of professor at that time had been granted to others, 
as to Rosen von Rosenstein, and Stromer, whose 
merits were less than those of Linne. Consequently, 
it was excusable that Linne, in his paternal love, 
thought that his precious botanic garden would be 
prosperous, if its maintenance were once given to his 
son, who had better opportunity than anyone else of 
developing into an eminent botanist. “ If I live three 
years longer,” he wrote to Mennander in 1761, “I am 
sure that nobody in Europe will discharge his duties 
better than my son.” When it came to a decision, he 
may have had some doubts, as he wrote to his pupil 
Solander, then living in London, inviting him to be 
his successor. The latter in July, 1762, answered that 
he would be back in Sweden in October; he did not 
come, however, writing in November that the author¬ 
ities in London had promised him a salary in the 
British Museum, so Linne reverted to his original plan 
for his son, for whom he promised he would be 
responsible. 
Thus no change took place in the title of the 
younger Linne in his professorship. His salary 
remained that of a Demonstrator, for the father was 
assured that whether he resigned or not, his salary, 
with its accustomed privileges, would be continued. 
Of the permanent release from duty which was open 
to him, he never availed himself, except when ill, or 
on some other piece of work. For more than ten 
years he continued with increased, rather than 
diminished, fervour to devote himself to all of a 
professor’s labours. Few of his pupils would have 
been willing to accept the position, with the title, but 
without salary, and without prospect of improvement. 
When the younger Linne was thirty-six, he first 
