350 
LINNAEUS 
declared his willingness to pay, the Chancellor found 
that he could not compete with this offer, so the 
University must regretfully dispense with them. 
About this time (the date not being ascertainable), 
the previously mentioned Anders Dahl came forward 
with a proposal to buy the collections, the Gothenburg 
merchant, J. Mauhle, providing the means. He 
wanted to obtain them at his own estimate, and was 
especially solicitous that the Alstromers should know 
that before the transaction was completed. This much 
is certain, that Dahl declared he was empowered to pay 
as much as the foreigner offered, and that Acrel was 
simply his commissionaire, since the heirs, though only 
verbally, had assured him (Acrel) precedence in this 
transaction. On the other hand, Acrel distinctly 
denied this connection between the two, saying that 
nobody had made this statement till three years after¬ 
wards, and that only in a Gradual disputation. But 
however that may be, it must be conceded that Dahl 
more than any other Swede, was most active in 
opposing the sale of the collections overseas, whether 
his offer came too late or not. 
His ardour in this subject continued to the last 
minute, so to speak, even when the collections had 
been sent off from Uppsala. In an undated document, 
probably at the end of September, he considered that 
the King should be graciously moved to reclaim these 
collections, not only while they were in Stockholm, but 
even while they were on board ship ready to start. As 
a reason for this, Dahl maintained that he had the 
assertion from the heirs before “ Herr Smidt ” had 
made his offer, that foreigners would always taunt the 
Swedes with their inability to retain such precious 
collections; that the possessor would become a 
Dictator in Science, and lovers of it would be obliged 
to impart their discoveries to him, in order to compare 
them with the Linnean cabinet, and that no one but 
himself could put in order the late Archiater’s remark¬ 
able manuscripts. With no lack of self-approbation, 
