Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-25
MEMORY OF L|NNAEUS
BicentenniaI of the Botanist
to Be Celebrated.
HON0RED BY SCIENTISTS
Elaborate Invitations From the Uni
versity of Upsala.
THE STORY OF A GREAT CAREER
How Intense Love of the Study of
Plants Surmounted All Obstacles
and Led to Fame.
HE STORY OF A GREAT CAREER
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.


botany. who was born in the province Of
Smaland, May 81, 1907 and died in Upsala
January 10, ITS The invitation is printed
in the Latin language in large letters upon
double sheet of parchment, and the out
side pages ornamented with a hand
some design in colOrs. 1t is supposed that
similar invitations have been sent to other
scientific institutions and universities and
to the several Linnaean societies in this
country and other parts of the world, which
will respond in an appropriate manner. All
scientists of all countries recognize the
greatness of Carl Won Linnaeus and what
he did for natural history and the science
of botany especially.
1t is understood that Prof. Alexander Ag-
assiZ of Harvard University, Prof. w. G.
Farlow of the Smithsonian Institution. and
William Trelease, superintendent of Shaw s
Garden in st. Louis, will go to UpSala to
participate in the ceremonies there. The
anniversary will be celebrated by the Lin
naean Society of London. which owns the
library and herbarum of the great bota-
mist, and by the several societies in the
United States. The Botanical Society of
Washington will hold special meeting on
May %, when DR.. Edward l.. Green of the
Smithsonian Institution VIII deliver a me-
mortal address.
The Linnaean Society of London did not
obtain the herbarium of Linnaeus without
much difficulty and diplomacy and when
ing secretly taken from that country he
sent man Of-war to overtake and capture
it and ordered the arrest of every person
who had been engaged in the transaction.
Cards Left at His Tomb.
The body of the great botanist has had
an honored burial in the Cathedral of Up
sala. His monument is handsome piece
of black marble and before it lies a large
silver tray upon which his admirers leave
their visiting cards as a tribute to his
memory. 1 have seen and read of many
mortuary customs, but this is the only in
stance | have ever known where visiting
cards are left at a tomb. We lay flowers
and wreaths upon the graves of friends; we
decorate the resting places of famous men
with flags and banners, and for generations
1t has been the unique practice of European
scientists, chiefly Germans, Russians,
French and Scandinavians. to leave their
cards at the grave of Linnaeus Who
first observed no one in Upsala could
tell me. The sacristan in charge of
the cathedral said that the large silver
tray which is now used to hold them had
been purchased by the bishop about thirty
five years ago. When | was in Upsala sew
eral years ago a hundred or more cards
were lying upon the tray. and in looking
them over l recognized the names of
eral distinguished scientific men and
eral princes of northern Europe, including
those of King Oscar of Sweden and Prince
when the tray could hold no more the
cards were removed by one of the profess
sors and filed away in a drawer in the
library.
Eric the Saint.
The Cathedral at Upsala is the glory and
the pride of Sweden and one of the oldest
and finest examples of Gothic architecture
in Europe. 1t was begun in 115O by ST.
Eric, the only Swedish king ever canon
;yad and the patrOn saint al Sweden who
occupies big sarcophagus of solid silver.
He was a good Christian according to his
lights and a fierce fighter He admins
tered justice in the fear of God rather than
man, and the women of the world owe him
a debt Of gratitude because he was the
first person in authority to recognize the
rights Of widow to a third of all the per-
sonal and real property Of her husband,
and he enforced that principle in Sweden.
Nor was he satisfied with being merely
sea and with a big stick compelled his
neighbors to accept Christianity.
Although he is saint in the Roman
Catholic calendar the Lutherans of Sweden
venerate him, and in a cathedral dedicated
to God and the doctrines of Martin Luther
are preserved a number of relics of other
Roman Catholic saints The father and
mother of st. Bridget are buried in one
of the chapels. and -four of her sisters.
She lies in an old red church at Wadstena,
but In the cathedral at Upsala they have
the cloak, the apron and the girdle she
wore when she made a pilgrimage to Rome.
and a pearl-embroidered girde bag pre-
scented to her by the pope himself in which
she carried aims to the poor.
Son of a Lutheran Preacher.
Linnaeus the Great was a of a
Lutheran parson, and in childhood was de-
signed for the ministry, but he
fascinated by flowers and plants that his
father was disguised and would do moth
ing for him. His teachers advised the old
gentleman to make a carpenter or tailor
of him, but. fortunately for the scientific
world, DIR. Rothman, a physician at Wexio,
who had noticed the boys enthusiasm for
botany, prevailed upon Parson Linnaeus to
allow him to study medicine and natural
history, took him into his own household
at Wexio and there he studied and worked
among the plants and flowers for dozen
years.
Wexio was the home of another famous
person, a peasant girl named Christine
Nilsson. who wandered bare-footed in
the streets singing and playing the
violin until her wonderful voice at
tracted the attention of a music teacher
who educated her. took her to Stockholm
and launched her into fame from the stage
of the Royal Opera House. She has
country home at Wexio. Several years ago
sented the municipality with all the cos
tunes and properties she had used in her
different roles, and they now preserved
there In the museum.
When DIR. Rothman had taught I4innaeus
all he knew, he advised the young man to
go to the university at Upsala in the hope
of finding some kind of employment to
sustain him while he continued his studies.
Linnaeus did so and nearly starved to
death For months he never had more
than one meal day, and sometimes he was
not able to get that one.
The Way Opened.
One sunny afternoon DR.. Olaf Celsius,
professor OF divinity, found him examin-
ing plant in the University gardens and,
upon questioning him, discovered a knowl-
edge and intelligence that led to his en-
ployment in the preparation of a book on
the identity OF the plants mentioned in the
Scriptures. At the same time Linnaeus
found a comfortable home in a generous
family, library rich in botanical works
and friend who opened the way to fame.
In 1872 Linnaeus made a botanical tour
Of Lapland, mostly on foot. a journey of
1900 miles, which resulted in his first pub
iished work on botany. 1t was so well
received that 1t excited the jealousy of
DR.. Rosen, professor of botany In the uni
versity faculty, who had him dismissed
upon some shallow pretext
The unfortunate young man then went to