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many ufelefs admonitions, and fomc hints to his parents 

 that a honed trade would be better adapted to the abi- 

 lities of their fon, it was determined that the young 

 Linnaeus ftiould be bound apprentice to a fhoemaker. 

 The mind however will immediately find relief from the 

 painful degradation it muft fufff r at the contemplation of 

 this illuftrious founder of natural fcience being about to 

 be funk into the lowefl mafs of mecharijcal drudgery, 

 and repofe with grateful benevolence on the mcrpory of 

 Pr. John Rothman, profeffor of medicine in Wexicoe, to 

 whofe difcernmcnt and exertions we are folely indebted 

 for his refcue. This good and learned man, who had 

 formed an acquaintance with him and juftly appreciated 

 his uncommon abilities and eagernefb for natural hiftory, 

 having intelligence of the defign of removing him fiom 

 college, perfuaded his friends to let him purfue the ten^ 

 dency of his genius and the wifhes of his hpart; and that 

 it might not incumber the fmall income of his father, 

 promifed to take him into his own houfc, gratuitoufly to 

 furnilli him with all necelTaries, and himfelf to teach 

 him the elements of his profeflion. 



With Dr. Rothman he continued three years, en- 

 larging his colledions, and accumulating thofe ftores of 

 information which were to condu£l him to his future 

 profeflion. In the library of his patron he fortunately 

 found the Inftitutiones Rei Herbarias, or Elements of 

 Botany, by Tournefort. This gave him the firft view 

 of the conveniencies of arrangement and the beauty cf 



