Bengt Ferrner thanks Linnaeus for his letter of 5 April 1759 [this letter has not come down to us], that arrived a couple of days earlier. Ferrner is most grateful for the news as well as for the letter to Arnout Voesmaer, from whom Ferrner has now received a letter to be sent in return. Johannes Burman had shown Ferrner considerable hospitality, for which Ferrner is most grateful to Linnaeus. Burman had probably already written to Linnaeus [Burman to Linnaeus, 17 April 1759{L2530}] telling him that some weeks ago he lost his wife after a long illness. His only son, Nicolaas Laurens Burman will become a medical doctor in the summer. As yet, Ferrner had not been to Leiden, but long ago he sent the book [Ferrner means presumably Specimen botanicum de geraniis] to Johan Frederik Gronovius and Laurens Theodor Gronovius, and had also written to them.
Ferrner had visited Utrecht in order to become acquainted with the professors there and to look at the University. There were much fewer students than Ferrner could imagine, hardly more than 150. At public lectures there were 2, 3 and maximally 6 listeners. Many of the professors never hold public lectures owing to this lack of attendance. Ferrner thought that it was remarkable that, of the 16 professors, 10 were foreigners and also the best.
Ferrner made the acquaintance of Petrus Wesseling, Johann David Hahn, Giovanni Francesco Mauro Melch Castillon, Christopher Saxe and Burman; the first four were said to be the most important. Of the others, Ferrner only saw them and heard them read. The professors he mentioned were all kind and respectful towards Ferrner. Hahn was experimental physicist and Professor of Botany; a man of only 30 years. Ferrner already knew that Hahn was a capable mathematician and also had the reputation of being skilled in botany. He recently had been appointed to the chair of botany after Everard Jacob van Wachendorff, who died. Hahn asked Ferrner to pass his respects to Linnaeus and that as soon as possible he would write to Linnaeus asking for his friendship and correspondence. At the same time Hahn would also mention a number of plants that had recently arrived in Holland from the Indies.
Ferrner reported that the Utrecht Botanical Garden was in fairly good shape but by no means could be compared with Linnaeus’s garden in Uppsala. Ferrner noted that as Linnaeus had himself visited Utrecht there was no need to describe the Observatory, the Library or more about the University.
Ferrner was well acquainted with Linnaeus’s correspondent in Amsterdam, Johann Albert Schlosser, who appeared to be a skilled person. At least, he had a beautiful library and could speak with authority on the subject of botany.
In about 14 days Ferrner would leave for England but if Linnaeus would do him the honour of writing a letter, the address was still c/o Johan Abraham Grill in Amsterdam.