Linnaeus [antikvár]

LinnaeusCarl Linnaeus - or Carl von Linné, as he called himself after receiving his title of nobility - is unquestionably one of Sweden's most famous scientists of all times, recognized primarily as a world-renowned botanist, one of the foremost who ever lived. He was by profession a doctor and a professor of medicine. Since, as a professor, he alsó dealt with botany, he was accustomed to identify himself as "Med Botan. prof. Upsal", which does not, however, teli the full story. He was a versatile person, who alsó occupied himself successfully with such other branches of the natural sciences as zoology, geology and mineralogy - and much more besides. In recent years he has been noted as an author of belles lettres and as a promoter of the art of printing in Sweden. His fresh, vigorous and, occasionally, rather coarse language is not to be found in the writings of earlier Swedish authors. In portions of his orations and descriptions of his travels, Linnaeus writes a prose that has the sound of the most beautiful poetry. Even today, Linnaeus exerts a strong influence on Swedish cultural life. He continues to attract the interest of doctors, natural scientists, historians, theologians and artists - to the great delight of the Swedish public. Overseas, interest in Linnaeus is alsó remarkably high. Indeed, nearly every-one is trying to discover somé new aspect of the multifaceted Swede.Linnaeus' first scientific work was written when he was still an eighteen-year-old "high school" student in Váxjö. His years at the universities of Lund and Uppsala alsó resulted in somé other promising works. He was, however, no more than a student to whom one could attribute high expectations, when, in 1732, he set out on his Lapland journey. When he returned, he was already an experienced scientist. His journey is regarded today as perhaps the most signiíicant ever undertaken within Swedish borders. Linnaeus achieved his international breakthrough in the scientific world during his foreign journey (1735-1738) in the course of which he spent most of his time in Holland but alsó visited Germany, England and Francé. In Holland, where he established con-tacts with leaders in the nation's cultural life, the young Swede was cherished as ne ver before. As the manager of "Hartekamp", the estate owned by the conspicuously well-to-do Georg Clifford, he had a free hand to pursue his own interests. Within the span of barely three years he now published 14 scientific treatises, including Systema naturae, which created a new era in the history of the natural sciences.After his return from abroad, Linnaeus established himself as a physician in Stockholm for three years (1738-1741) during which he held public lectures in mineralogy and botany, was appointed physician of the Swedish admiralty and became one of the founders of the Royal Academy of Sciences. In 1741 he realized his dream ambition and was appointed professor of medicine at Uppsala University where, as noted, botany was alsó assigned to him. He assumed