EVOLUTION OF LINNe’s ‘ SPECIES PLANTARUM ’ 175 
January, 1753: “ I am working myself to death on the ltoyal 
Cabinet,” and a week later, 5th February, “ I have been writing day 
and night on the King’s Cabinet, so that my eyes ache, and I can 
hardly close them,” and comments on the collection growing faster 
than he can describe the objects. 
Again mentioning the ‘ Species ’:—“ Lectures stop in a fort¬ 
night ; T am afraid that Salvius will overtake me in printing. 
Cryptogamia stand before me, and not a word yet written.” The 
Species was dated 2nd May three weeks later. The first volume 
came out in May, for the Tarda Tidningar [Learned News], which 
was also printed by Salvius, under date of 24tli May, 1753, p. 145, 
says: “ We have the opportunity of speaking of a work, whose title 
is ‘ Caroli Linnsei Species plantarum,’ vol. i. with 560 pages in 8°. 
This work will consist of two volumes, of which the later one will 
also be ready in seven weeks.” Later, on the 16th August, the same 
journal says : “ Species plantarum second volume has come from the 
press during the last few days ; it begins with page 561 and closes 
with page 1200. We have already in this Journal reviewed the first 
volume, of which this is a continuation from the beginning of Didy- 
namia to the end of the System.” 
1 have to thank Dr. J. M. Hulth, Chief Librarian of the Library 
at Uppsala University, for the above extracts, as I have not succeeded 
in finding a set of the Tarda Tidningar in London. In the Linnean 
collection are a few early copies, which end in 1752. Wikstrom in 
his Conspectus litteraturce botanicce in Suecia (Holmiae, 1831, 
pp. 153, 191) refers to the above passages without reprinting them, 
and Dr. H. E. Kichter in his Codex Tinnceanus (1835) quotes 
“ Species plantarum .... 1753 Mai et Aug.,” presumably from 
Wikstrom. 
Going back a little in time, we find that on the 25th May, 1753, 
Linne was informing Back that he could still take in s} r nonyms into 
his Appendix, which must refer to pp. 1190-1199 in the second 
volume, and not the 2 pages of Addenda in the first, which must have 
been published by that time; on the 29th of the same month he 
repeats the statement; in this last letter Linne says he has had no 
holiday for three years ; in another sentence that Salvius promises 
a prompt review; a student had been put to the task, but Salvius had 
improved it. A letter dated 1st June relates that the printer will 
soon finish the ‘Species,’ then an undated and unfinished letter says: 
“ Next week I can drop both ‘ Museum ’ and ‘ Species,’ as both will be 
finished and I shall be a free man ” ; this appears to be the last 
allusion to it amongst his extant letters to Back. 
B. Daydon Jackson. 
