Title:
Abraham Bäck to Carl Linnaeus
Type:
Image
Licence:
Contact [email protected]
Repository:
The Linnean Society of London
Collection:
Linnaean Correspondence
Reference number:
LC/1/118
Archival level:
Item
Date:
1744
Placement:
Volume 1: 247-248
Extent:
247-248
Language:
sv
Description:
From the letter Linnaeus had sent to Carl Klingenberg [this letter has not come down to us], Abraham Bäck understands that Linnaeus has not forgotten him. Bäck had been afraid that his enemies had made Linnaeus less favourable towards him, since he had not heard anything about Linnaeus for almost two years. Linnaeus can be certain that Bäck will bring seeds with him, when he eventually reaches Sweden. Bäck will be glad to approach Bernhard de Jussieu to get the same for Linnaeus as well, but Bäck does not think he will manage to get any before April 1. In addition, Linnaeus has not told him if he received the package of seeds that Bäck had sent with Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz. There were many nice seeds in that package, gathered according to the list that Linnaeus had sent to Jussieu. Antoine de Jussieu has fallen and broken a foot, so he is ill in bed. Louis Guillaume Le Monnier, brother of the mathematician [Pierre-Charles Le Monnier], has produced an edition of Genera plantarum with French names together with parts of Fundamenta botanica and “Classis naturalis fragmenta”. [Bäck refers to Genera plantarum, 3nd edition, to which edition was appended, Fragmenta methodi naturalis from Classes plantarum seu systemata plantarum; as to Fundamenta botanica, Bäck refers presumably to the 4th edition of Systema naturae, to which was appended a reprint from the second edition of the Fundamenta Botanica, the Caroli Linnaei [...] Fundamenta Botanica in quibus theoria botanices aphoristice traditur]. Bäck has told the printer, Michel-Antoine David, that he should tell Linnaeus in a letter, which he promised to do. Bäck does not know if he has done it yet [no such letter from David has come down to us]. René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur wants to see Linnaeus’s treatise on ants ["Carl Linnaei anmärkning öfwer wisen hos myrorne"]. More and more is revealed about polyps [Bäck refers to his work with the forthcoming article, "Kort berättelse om Vatn-Polyper"]. In several kinds, Jussieu has discovered similar features during his recent journey to Normandy and Brittany, as Linnaeus has seen from his letter [Jussieu to Linnaeus, 15 February 1742]. Bäck is studying anatomy. He is aware that his fellows in Sweden have certain advantages. If he had known about the position [at the University] in Lund, he could have applied, but being abroad he is in a less favourable position. Bäck will leave in June or in October, and he will go through Holland to Germany. He does not know when he goes on from there. Bäck writes about a recent accident. Johan Welin and some fellow travellers were visiting a friend, when there was a fire in the flat under the one where they were. Before they noticed it, the floor fell down, and they all fell into the fire and died. Bäck sends his regards to the Celsius’s [Anders Celsius and Olof Celsius], to Magnus Olai Beronius and to all friends and relatives who ask about him.
Sender:
Bäck, Abraham
Recipient:
Linnaeus, Carl
Sent to location:
[Uppsala, Sweden]
Transcription:
Högädle och Widtberömde H[err] Professor, Herr Professorn har eij aldeles glömt bort mig, såg jag af Des angenäma til H[err] Mag[ister]: Klingenberg. Jag fruchtade mig för Missgynnare, och trodde, att de jemwel kunnat minska Herr Professorns goda opinion om mig, efter jag snart på twå åhr intet hafft den ähran, at höra något om Herr Professorns tilstånd. Herr Professorn kan wara försäkrad therom, at jag förer fröen med mig til Herr Professorns tjenst, när jag äntel[igen] får komma hem. Jag skal med nöije anhålla hos M[onsieur] Bernhard Jussieu om samma sak för H[err] Professorn. Men jag wet intet tillfälle at få några fram til d[en] 1 April. Herr Professorn skrifwer intet, om det fröe pacqvetet, som jag sände med H[err] Adlerkrants, är framkommet. Ther woro en myckenhet skiöna fröen, utsökta efter H[err] Professorns gifna lista til M[onsieur] Bernhard. M[onsieur] Antoine Jussieu har fallit och brutit en fot, hwaraf han ligger til sängs rätt illa siuk. M[onsieur] Monnier, ung Academicien och Bror til Mathematicus af samma namn har låtit uplägga Genera Plantarum med fransöska namn på örterna och något af Fundam[enta]: Botanicis eller Classis Naturalis Fragmentis. Jag har sagt förläggarn M[onsieur] David, at det wore billigt skrifwa Herr Professorn til derom, förrän boken utgifwes. Han lofwade, men jag wet eij, om han hollit ord. M[onsieur] Reaumur önskar se H[err] Professorns memoir om Myrorna. Polyp-historien ökas dagel[igen]. M[onsieur] Bernhard har upptäckt i många andra Lithophytis det samma som H[err]Professorn sett af hans bref, nu i sista resan til Normandie och Bretagne. Jag arbetar dagel i Anatomien. Mina Camerader hema hafwa gagnet. Hade jag wetat om Professionen i Lund, så hade jag sökt komma på förslaget. Men mitt fel är, at jag wistas utomlands. 1 Junio elr sist i October reser jag härifrån, om [Gud] will, genom Holland til Tyskland. När jag [kom]mer derifrån, wet jag intet. En bedröfwelig händelse förl[iden] Mardy gras. M[onsieur] Le Professeur Velin, wår Landsman, tillika med twå elr tre andra resande spelte et partie qvadrille hos en god wän. Emedlertid hade elden kommit lös i wåningen under, och giordt sådant ravage, at golfwet der de woro, föl ned, förr än de wiste ordet af, och de alla jemmerligen förgingos och upbrunno. Herr Professorn är så gunstig och hälsar med min ödmiuka respect H[errar] H[err] Professorerne Celsius och H[err] Professor Beronius med alla förnäma anhöriga, och flera, som fråga efter mig. Jag lefwer HögEdle Herr Professorns ödmiuke tjenare Abrah[am] Baeck A Monsieur Mons[ieur] Charles Linnaeus Celebre Professeur en Medecine à Upsale.
Previous reference number:
L0595
