LAST YEARS 
335 
for the kindness of the Consistory, and it was 
confirmed by the King. 
The economic gain which thus accrued to Linne 
and his family was of small importance. Only one 
and a half year’s doubled salary was received by him 
before he died, and as regards the rent from Hubby, 
the return cannot be considered much, as it was the 
same which was paid by the former tenant. It is 
now impossible to determine how much Linne hoped 
for when accepting the Consistory’s offer. 
His health soon became lamentable. Even in 
May his appearance was much altered by his wasting 
away, and his powers of thought so weakened that 
his last letter to Back, 24th May, 1776, was practically 
unintelligible. His memory was so muddled, that 
at times he could not remember letters, but when 
writing, mingled Latin and Greek characters together. 
A short period of improvement followed, and 
then he had the pleasure of a visit from the President 
of the Academy of Science, J. L. Odhelius, who was 
commissioned to acquaint himself as to his condition, 
and show him the tenderness which so great a man 
deserved. Odhelius found him actually greatly 
weakened in health, but not so ill as reported, and 
especially in good spirits and livelier than could be 
expected; but soon afterwards he had another apo¬ 
plectic seizure, causing paralysis of the right side, 
and such diminished power of speech, that he could 
only utter words of one syllable. “ Although,” re¬ 
lated J. G. Acrel, “ he is now in that condition as 
more dead than alive, and can hardly talk, one noticed 
a special gladness in his face when he saw any of 
his pupils, or when the talk turned on natural 
history.” This is confirmed by a letter from A. 
Sparrman to Wargentin: “ He ventured to go a few 
steps from his chair without help, but with extreme 
difficulty. If anyone takes him into the garden, he 
is pleased to look at the plants, but cannot recognize 
any. He laughs at almost everything, but sometimes 
