At length, in the autumn of 1729, as he was intently examining some plants in the university garden, he was accosted by Dr. Olof Celsius, professor of divinity, and an eminent naturalist, who was then engaged in preparing a work on the plants mentioned in the scripture. A little conversation soon apprised him of the extraordinary botanical acquisitions of the student, and perceiving his neces sitous circumstances, he took him to live in his own house. It was in this year that an account in the Leipsic Commen taries of Vaillant's Treatise on the Sexes of Plants, engaged him in an accurate ex amination of the stamina and pistils of Rowers, and finding a great variety of structure, he conceived the idea of a new systematic arrangement, founded on the sexual parts. He drew up a trea tise on this principle, which was shewn to Celsius, and by him to the botanical professor, Rudbeck, who had the libe rality to bestow on it his warmest appro bation. As the professor's advanced age made him desirous of a deputy in the of fice of lecturing, Linnzeus, in 1730, was appointed to this office, and was also ta ken by Rudbeck into his own house as tutor to his sons.
The court of Sweden having issued an order that the academy at Upsal should send a proper person to travel through Lapland, Linnxus, who had a strong incli nation to visit that country, was chosen for the office. He set out in May, 1732, very slenderly provided as a scientific traveller, all his baggage with himself being carried on a single horse. This tour would have been much more inter esting to science had it been taken when he was further advanced in his studies, and better equipped for making observa tions. Its chief fruits were a " flora lap ponica," and some curious medical and economical facts.
liming learnt the art of assaying metals at the mines of Calix, he gave lectures on that subject, and mineralogy in general, after his return. He improved himself in this br arch of knowledge by a visit to the mining country round Fahlun, at the end of 1733. He found, however, that a doc tor's degree would be necessary to his further advancement, and in order to ob tain this, money was necessary. For this purpose he was advised by a friend to turn his thoughts towards a matrimonial connection with some lady of fortune, and having an introduction to the family of Alormus, the town physician of Fah Inn, he ventured to make his addresses to his eldest daughter Elizabeth, and was favourably received. His indigent cir cumstances gave him little hopes of ob taining the father's consent ; but, to his surprise, he only required a delay until his exertions should open a path to a comfortable settlement. Linnaeus there fore resolved to travel in quest of for tune and a degree, and having accu mulated his little savings, to which were added those of his faithful Elizabeth, he set out for Holland in the spring of 1735.
At Harderwyck, as the cheapest uni versity, he took the degree of doctor of physic, maintaining for his thesis, "Nova Hypothesis Febrium Intermittentium." He visited Leyden and Amsterdam, and was particularly noticed by Dr. John Frederic Gronovius, who, upon being shewn in manuscript the first sketch of the " Systema Naturx," requested it might be printed at his own expense. This was accordingly done at Leyden, in 1735, in a tabular form, occupying twelve folio pages. By the advice of Gronovius he waited on Boerhaave, who, on con versing with him, became sensible of his singular attainments in botany, and ad vised him to remain in Holland. Munifi cence was not among that great man's excellencies, and a verbal message, by way of introduction to Burmann at Am sterdam, was the principal favour that Linnaeus received from him. That emi nent botanist, who was there engaged on his work on the plants of Ceylon, took the Swede into his house, and treated hint with great liberality. His library and
collections were of much use to Linnaeus, who there published his excellent work, the " Fundamenta Botanica," the basis of his system. While he was in this si tuation, Mr. Clifford, an opulent merchant of Amsterdam, who had a fine garden of exotics, having heard of the merit of Linnaeus from Boerhaave, prevailed upon Burmann to part with him, and took him to his country house at Hartecamp, near Haerlem.
In 1736 Linnxus, at Mr. Clifford's ex pence, paid a visit to England. There were at that time few distinguished bo tanists in this country, and Dillenius was the person whom he was most desirous of seeing ; Linnaeus went to him at Ox ford, and at first met with a cool recep tion, the old botanist having been offend ed with some of his innovations : after a little conversation, however, he liked him so well, that he detained him a month, and strongly urged him to take up his abode at Oxford, and share his salary as professor. Dr. Shaw, the traveller, Mar tyn, Miller, and Collinson, also showed him much civility; but Sir Hans Sloane did not pay the attention to him which might have been expected from such a votary of natural history. Linnxus re turned to Holland, enriched with many new plants for Clifford's garden, the de scription of which, under the title of " Ilortus Cliffortianus," appeared in a splendid publication in 1737, drawn up by him, and arranged according to his new system. He had already, in the same year, presented to the botanical world the essence of that system in the first edi tion of his " Genera Plantarum." In the year 1738, having received in telligence that he was in danger of being rivalled in his pretensions to his mistress, by the influence another had obtained with her father, he thought it necessary no longer to delay his return. As soon, therefore, as he was able, after his reco very from a severe illness, he took his way through the Low Countries to Paris. At that capital he had recommendations to the JussieuS, who received him with great kindness, and made him known to Reaumur and other eminent naturalists, and showed him all the curiosities of the place. At a visit to the Academy of Sci ences, it was announced to him that he was elected a corresponding member. The attachment of the French to the me thod of their eminent countryman, Tour nefort, was unfavourable to the reception of the Linnxan system among them, but he bad reason to be satisfied with the personal attention which he experienced. At Rouen he embarked for Sweden, where, on his arrival, he immediately pro ceeded to Fahlun, and was formally be trothed to the object of his affections. In the month of September he went to Stock holm, in order to try his fortune as a phy sician ; but he found that his fame as a botanist had either not reached thither, or was of no service to him as a practi tioner. At length, however, he obtained the confidence of some young men of rank, who gave him considerable employ ment. A private meeting of men of sci ence being formed in the capital, Linnseus was made an associate, and had the pre cedency for the first three months : this institution was the parent of the Royal Academy of Stockholm. His reputation made him known to Count Tessin, Mar shal of the Diet, by whose influence a salary was conferred upon him, with the condition of his giving public lectures on botany in the summer, and on mineralo gy in the winter. That nobleman also procured for him the post of Phy sician to the Navy, and gave him a gene ral invitation to his table. His affairs now wore so prosperous an aspect, that lie would no longer delay his union with his betrothed Anna-Elizabeth Morxa, and they married in June, 1739.