LIFE OF OLAF SWARTZ. _ 383 
the river Motala in East Gothland, and which, after Stock- 
holm, covers the greatest extent of ground of any town in 
the kingdom of Sweden. It is well located for trade, and is 
E celebrated for its manufacturing establishments, one of which 
- belonged to the father of Olaf. His mother was of noble 
extraction, her family name was Broberg. In 1778, he was 
sent to the University of Upsal, the year in which Linnseus 
died ; but still the name and remembrance of this great man, 
who had raised this seat of learning to such eminence, were 
deeply cherished by the youths who studied there; and while 
Swartz was unable to share in the benefit of Linnseus's per- 
sonal instructions, he caught the general ardour, and vied 
with those of his fellow-students who had been the immediate 
pupils of the illustrious Swede—an honour in those days 
eagerly courted or proudly claimed by all those who aspired 
to the character of men of science. Under the instructions of 
the younger Linnzeus, Olaf Swartz attained great proficiency 
ìn the various branches of Natural History, as he did in 
medicine under the respective Professors. "Throughout the 
summer months of the years 1779 to 1782 inclusive, he made 
excursions in the provinces of his native country, chiefly with 
the view to render himself familiar with its natural produc- 
tions. He traversed the districts bounded on the west by the 
Gulf of Bothnia, Lapland, as far as Lulea, Finland, and 
lastly, the islands of Oeland and Gothland. In the twenty- 
third year of his age he felt an ardent desire to visit distant 
and especially tropical regions; and, after employing the 
Winter in studying and arranging the collections he de — 
already formed in his native land, and after writing his 
“ Dissertatio de Methodo Muscorum," (published in Linneus’ 
Amen. Acad. v. I. App. p. 69), and his history of Gentiana 
Pulchella, and having communicated his inaugural treatise to 
the Faculty of Medicine, he quitted Sweden in 1783, passed 
year in North America, and the following one landed in 
and obtained his degree of Doctor in Medicine, and con- — 
nued his travels in St Domingo, and several other of the 
