Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London - University Library

6o PEOCEEDIXGS OF THE
fi'iend. He published the ' llortus Cliffortianus ' in 1737, and in
the same year the ' Flora Lapponica.' The frontispiece to this
work, dedicated to Clifford, represents a Lapland landscape with
Linne in the foreground, having on his knees the " drum," which
appears in the full-length picture. This frontispiece was drawn bv
Hoffman, who in the same year painted the portrait of Linne
for Clifford. This fine painting has remained in his family until
this time, though no longer at Hartekamp. In 1891 Mr. Cliiford
was living at JNieuwetsluys, and when I visited him there he was
most helpful. The painting has been very carefully conseiwed and
is in extremely good condition. He gave me leave to have a
pliotograph taken from it. He traced his family back to the days
of William the Conqueror, and showed me an interesting record
of the family history, turning to the pages which contained contempoi-ary
notes about Linne while he was at Hartekamp.
The original portrait has never been reproduced. Linne is
standing with his face turned somewhat to the left, in his Lapland
dross, with his gloves and various implements hanging from an
ornamented leathern girdle. His right hand holds a plant of
Linncea in flower but without a label, and his left hand supports a
large oval object which has puzzled many, but in the frontispiece
to the ' Flora Lapponica ' this is shown in two separate portions
which have spread out on them small objects : it is apparently
a press for drying plants. Around the sides of this press are
written the words :— " Carolus Linnaeus e Lapponia Eedux.
.^tat. 30. Anno 1737. Mart. Hoffman fecit 1737." There is
nothing on the canvas besides the portrait of Linn£eus.
A replica or a copy of this portrait, painted in 1739, came into
the possession of Dr. Eobert Thornton toAvards the end of the
eighteenth century. This is known only from the mezzotint
engraving by H. Kingsbury, Avhich was "published April G, 1795,
by H. Kingsbury, No. 4 Wan-en Street, Fitzroy Square." In
1804 Dr. Thornton had an exhibition of his botanical paintings at
49 New Bond Street, and the printed catalogue states that this
painting is " A whole length of Linnaeus aged only thirty-two, in
his Lapland Dress. 'Qj Hoffman. An Original Picture. This
was painted for Gronovius in Holland and is the onl}^ original
Picture of Linnaeus in England." Linne was indebted for much
friendly help to Grronovius ; at his suggestion Boerhaave introduced
Linne to Clifford, and at the expense of Grronovius the
first edition of the ' Systeraa Naturoe' was published at Leydea
in 1735. It is very likely that he would desire to possess the
portrait of a friend he valued so highly.
In 1811 Thornton got permission from Parliament to dispose of
his paintings by a lottery, but this was unsuccessful. Thornton
lived for twenty-six years after this, having died at his residence
in Howland Street, Fitzroy Square, on June 22nd, 1837. I have
failed to discover what has become of this or any of the other
botanical paintings that belonged to Thornton. The only help