322 Biographical Account of [Nov. 



improvement. Besides Latin, logic, and natural philosophy, he 

 acquired a knowledge of the plants growing wild in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Skara, and made some progress in the Greek and 

 Hebrew languages. In the autumn of 1752 he was sent from 

 this school to the University of Upsala, where he was admitted 

 with some eclat as a student of the Westgothland nation. We 

 are informed by Condorcet that Bergman was destined by his 

 father for the church, or the law, as professions which opened 

 to his views the most desirable situations for a literary man 

 which Sweden possessed : that he went to the University of 

 Upsala with this intention, and commenced his studies under 

 the inspection of a friend ; but that he very soon testified a dis- 

 like to both the professions proposed for his choice, while he 

 manifested a violent passion for mathematics and physics. His 

 friend remonstrated, pointed out the absurdity of his choice, 

 told him that law and divinity were the roads to profit and 

 preferment, while mathematics and physics had nothing to 

 bestow upon their votaries but reputation. Our young philoso- 

 pher listened to these remonstrances in silence, but still perse- 

 vered in his favourite pursuits. His friend deprived him of his 

 books, restricted his studies, and left him only to choose 

 between law and divinity.* This restraint almost proved fatal. 

 Bergman's health declined. It was found necessary for him to 

 leave the university and return home. His relations, finding it 

 in vain to struggle with his inclinations, at last indulged them, 

 and left him at liberty to pursue those studies of which he was 

 so distractedly fond. 



While a student at Upsala, Bergman devoted himself with 

 the most unremitted attention to the study of mathematics, 

 physics, and philosophy. He was in the habit of getting up at 

 four in the morning, and of going to bed at eleven. The books 

 which he studied in the first place were Wolfe's Logic, Walle- 

 rius's System, Euclid's Elements, Keil's Physics and Astronomy. 

 These last two works were then reckoned the best introduction 

 to mechanical philosophy. 



At that time, Linnaeus, after having surmounted obstacles 

 sufficient to have crushed a man of ordinary energy, was in the 

 height of his glory, and was revered every where as the 

 patriarch of natural history. He had infused the enthusiasm 

 which actuated his own breast into the minds of his pupils, and 

 at Upsala every student was a natural historian. Bergman, in 

 particular, attached himself to Linnaeus, and bestowed much 

 pains on botany and entomology. This last branch of natural 

 history indeed is deeply indebted to him. He first displayed in 

 it those powers of arrangement which constitute the charm of 

 his works, and that penetration which produced afterwards such 

 important fruits. 



* This friend was Jonas Yictorin, bis cou-in, at that time Magister Docens i» 

 the University of Upsala. 



