MEMOIR OF DE GEER. 61 



celebrated Muschenbrock, with whom he was on 

 terms of intimacy. His studies were commenced at 

 Utrecht, but he afterwards removed to Upsal, where 

 he had the advantage of enjoying the combined in- 

 structions of Linnaeus, Celsius, and Klengenstiern. 

 Under such masters his progress in physical science 

 was rapid ; and it was not long before opportunities 

 occurred to afford proofs of his proficiency. 



By the death of an uncle, he came into possession, 

 at an early age, of one of the largest fortunes in 

 Sweden. The extensive iron mines of Dannemora 

 became his property ; and he expended large sums in 

 improving the mode of working them. Every scheme 

 tending to promote the prosperity of his country, 

 arid the spiritual and temporal welfare of its inhab- 

 itants, found in him a zealous and intelligent patron. 

 His wealth he liberally shared with the poor, and 

 devoted no small part of his income to the repairing 

 of churches, and the founding of hospitals and schools 

 But these philanthropic objects did not divert his 

 attention from the pursuits of science ; on the con- 

 trary, he continued to cultivate his favourite branch 

 of Natural History with the utmost zeal and assi- 

 duity. As a member of the Academy of Stockholm, 

 he regularly attended its meetings, and supplied 

 many interesting memoirs in different departments of 

 knowledge. His observations on insects were now 

 beginning to accumulate, and he read a few papers 

 on the subject to the society, which are inserted in 

 the early volumes of their Transactions. But these 

 observations soon became so extensive and import- 



