Clas Alströmer opens his letter by mentioning that he has not heard anything from Linnaeus for a long time and that he is longing for a letter. He encloses some seeds, some of which might be in the garden [Uppsala University Botanical Garden] already, but some are definitely not. There is no idea to cite their names again in the letter.
Because of Linnaeus’s reputation, he has been received with great politeness. He has met with a number of scientists and mentions particularly Antonio Durazzini, a botanist, not yet diligent enough, but works with great ambition, the old methods he understands well. Xaverio (Saverio) Manetti. Guadagni is in Pisa will be a good botanist, as soon as he receives Linnaeus’’s works. Alströmer has succeeded in making Linnaeus’s system liked and understandable, at first it was much criticized, because they didn’t understand it. Now everybody wants to have the latest ddition of Systema naturae [Alströmer refers to the Systema naturae, 10th edition; the 10th edition was published in two volumes, “Animalia” 1758 and “Vegetabilia” 1759. The third volume, “Mineralia” was never published ] as well as Species plantarum [the second edition was published in 1762, Species plantarum] and all the volumes of Amoenitates academicae. Lars Salvius ought to send all Linnaeus’s publications to Livorno for distribution to all parts of Italy. Everyone wants to have them. He also mentions John Strange, who offers to be of service to the Swedish Academies [the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences [Kungliga Svenska Vetenskapsakademien, the Royal Society of Sciences at Uppsala [Kungliga Vetenskaps-Societeten i Uppsala] ].
Manetti wants to have a genus named after him. In his Definitiones plantarum in usum auditorum has Christian Gottlieb Ludwig divided Linnaeus’s Lycopodium into as many genera as Johann Jacob Dillenius, i.e., Lycopodium,Selaginoides, Lycopodioides and Selago; consequently he has been forced to give Linnaeus’s Genus Selago in Didyn. Angiosp. Another name, Manettia. Roque [Alströmer means Bartolomo Giambattista Ronco], who has travelled in Egypt, has also mentioned Manetti and dedicated a herb to him, which Linnaeus has already called Reaumuria. Ronco is now in France. In Italy, people speak ill of him and his behaviour in Egypt with Vitaliano Donati. It would please Alströmer very much if Linnaeus had a new genus to dedicate to Manetti, who deserves it and would be much encouraged.
P.S. Alströmer will tomorrow proceed to Bologna and Venice and then to Turin and Paris.