HISTORY. 7 



The friendship of Rothman enabled him to pursue his 

 studies three years at Wexico, after which, poor and 

 without a friend, he entered the university of Upsal. 



But merit like his could not be overlooked, and it 

 was not long ere Celsius, the first botanist in Sweden, 

 was charmed with his zeal and intelligence, and re- 

 lieved him of the burden of poverty with which he 

 was encumbered. He was afterwards invited by the 

 Academy of Sciences at Upsal, to explore the cold re- 

 gions of Lapland, and the alacrity with which this pro- 

 posal was accepted, and the faithfulness with which the 

 objects of his journey were secured, were equally 

 creditable to the zeal and perseverance of Linnaeus. 

 Previous to his Lapland tour, the inhabitants of Torneo 

 were frequently distressed by the loss of their cattle, 

 two hundred of which are said to have annually per- 

 ished on a single mountain. He went to their pastures 

 to ascertain the cause of this calamity, and found it to 

 proceed from the young leaves of the Water Hemlock, 

 a poisonous plant, which grew abundantly in the marshy 

 grounds of that country. He told the inhabitants how 

 the loss of which they complained might be avoided 

 without difficulty or expense, nor is it surprising that 

 he should consider this as the most interesting event of 

 his journey. What better compensation for its fatigues, 

 what more heartfelt satisfaction could he receive, than 

 that which he derived from the consciousness of saving 

 the impoverished Laplander from the loss of his cattle 

 and the horrors of famine. 



After his return to Sweden, he visited Holland for 

 the purpose of receiving a medical degree, and there 

 he became acquainted with Boerhaave, the most eminent 

 physician of his age, and with Clifford, scarcely less 

 distinguished for the extent of his botanical treasures. 



