SIR CHARLES LINNAEUS. 5 



mended that Charles should make one of his house- 

 hold during the remainder of the term for which he 

 had been sent to Wexico, and with a suggestion such 

 as this, the mother, who had a kindly and sympathetic 

 nature, and the father, after a hard struggle, gave up 

 their darling wish to see their son in a pulpit ; and 

 so Charles entered the house of Rothmann to study 

 a little physic and a good deal of botany. Noble 

 John Eothmann deserves to be remembered for his 

 part of this transaction, and naturalists especially owe 

 him a debt of gratitude. 



The library of Rothmann contained some rare books 

 on botany, and these became the eager study of the 

 youth. He attended the school for three years, and 

 then in his twentieth year prepared himself to go to 

 the University of Lund in 1727. It was intended that 

 he should reside in the house of a relative during his 

 studies at Lund ; but almost before he had arrived there 

 he was informed of the death of his kinsman. He, 

 however, entered the class of Professor Stobceus, the 

 lecturer on physic and botany, and by means of the 

 discourses of this tutor the botanical knowledge of 

 Linnaeus soon began to assume a definite form. The 

 principles of the science became fixed in his mind. 

 Stobceus noticed his diligence, and followed the good 

 example of Rothmann, and took him into his own 

 house. It was here that he first met with a well- 

 arranged collection of natural history, and became 

 acquainted with curiosities which lie had never seen 

 before. He at once began collecting a herbal for 

 himself, and made many journeys into the neigh- 



