perfections proved useful, in prompting him to attempt 

 something more complete thereafter. 



From that time, Linnaeus devoted all his leisure to his 

 favourite study. In early life he had to struggle with 

 many difficulties ; being so poor, as frequently to depend 

 upon chance for a meal ; and without the means of paying 

 for a patch upon his shoes, which he sometimes endea- 

 voured to repair himself, by the aid of folded paper. But 

 merit and industry will always find their reward, arid rise 

 proudly superior to all impediments. The lustre of his 

 abilities soon drew the attention of some of the most 

 learned men in Europe, who encouraged and patronized 

 him. He was, after a time, elected a member of various 

 scientific academies throughout Europe ; and, in his own 

 country, made Secretary of the Upsal Academy, the only 

 one then in Sweden ; besides many other distinguished 

 marks of the high estimation in which he was held in his 

 native country, and in the literary world. 



His studies were not wholly confined to botany, but ex- 

 tended to other branches of natural history, as may be 

 seen by the publication of his many scientific and varied 

 works. 



In the spring of 1732, he received from the Academy 

 of Sciences at Upsal, an appointment to travel through 

 Lapland, under the royal authority, and at the expense of 

 the Academy. He was but slenderly provided with bag- 

 gage, travelled generally on horseback, but visited the 

 Lapland Alps on foot descending to the coast of Norway, 

 he returned by Tornea, &c. to Upsal, by the 10th of Octo- 

 ber, having performed a journey of near 4000 English 

 miles. 



When in Lapland, he gathered at Lyksele, May 29th, 

 1732, an elegant and singular little plant, formerly known 

 to botanists as the Campanula Serpyllifolia. Linnaeus, by 

 his study of vegetables on the only certain principles, the 

 structure of their parts of fructification, soon found this 

 to constitute a new genus ; but he reserved the idea in his 

 own breast, till such time as his discoveries and publica- 

 tions had entitled him to botanical commemoration : and 

 his friend Gronovius, in due time, undertook to make this 

 genus known to the world under the name of Linn&a 

 it having been chosen by himself for this purpose. 



In the course of his tour having learned the art of as- 

 saying metals, he in the following year gave a private 

 course of lectures on this subject, which had never before 

 been taught at Upsal. 



The arts of his rival Rosen having disappointed him of 

 his anticipated medical advancement in the college at 

 Lund, and, by his intrigues, put a stop to all private medi- 

 cal lectures in the university of Upsal, thus depriving 

 Linnaeus of his only present means of subsistence, our in- 

 defatigable naturalist directed his energies into another 

 channel ; in furtherance of his study of mineralogy, he 

 visited the mines of Sweden, and, at the close of the year 



1733, he gave a course of lectures at Fahlun, on the art of 

 assaying. Here he first became acquainted with Browal- 

 lius (chaplain to the governor of the province of Dalecarlia, 

 afterwards bishop of Abo) who advised him to take his 

 doctor's degrees, in order to pursue the practice of medi- 

 cine, in which he had already acquired some celebrity 

 while at Fahlun. 



In pursuance of this advice, Linnaeus, having amassed 

 the sum of fifteen pounds sterling, now commenced his 

 travels, with a view of obtaining his degree at the cheap- 

 est university he could find, and, at the same time, seeing 

 something more of the literary world. He spent five years 

 in visiting the principal countries of Europe ; his merit 

 raised him up patrons and friends wherever he was 

 known ; through many difficulties, it is true, did he have 

 to work his way, but still he went onward, supported by 

 the native energy of his character, gaining information at 

 every step, and extending his own fame. He tells us 

 himself, he would perhaps never have returned to his own 

 country, " had he not been in love ;" but hearing that he 

 had a powerful rival in the affections of her to whom he 

 had plighted his faith, he suddenly returned to Sweden, 

 and, after a time, having acquired such a degree of pros- 

 perity as to induce the father of his betrothed to consent 

 to their union, he was married June 26, 1739. 



How distant oft the thing we dote on most, 

 From that for which we Aole, felicity! 



This consummation of his ardent aspirations for the last 

 five years of his life, brought with it no access either of 

 happiness or prosperity. This idol of his heart, is repre- 

 sented as altogether unworthy; and of a kindred spirit 

 with the unnatural mother of the. unfortunate poet Savage, 

 displaying the same hatred of her only son, and persecut- 

 ing him by every means within her power, during the life 

 of her husband, who was made miserable by her miscon- 

 duct and petty tyranny, and, after his death, still pouring 

 out the dregs of her wrath upon the admirable and sen- 

 sitive being who naturally looked to her for support and 

 comfort. 



But let us turn from so disgusting and painful a theme, 

 to bestow a double portion of admiration upon that being, 

 who, amidst all these chilling blights to his happiness, still 

 laboured with untiring zeal in the cause of literature. 



About the year 1751, the queen of Sweden, Louisa Ulri- 

 ca, sister to the great Frederic of Prussia, having a taste 

 for natural history, which her royal consort, king Adol- 

 phus Frederick, also patronized, showed much favour to 

 Linnteus, and employed him in arranging her collection of 

 insects and shells, at her country-palace of Drotningholm, 

 or Ulricksdahl, and he was frequently honoured with the 

 company and conversation of their majesties, during his 

 attendance there. The queen also interested herself in the 

 education of her son, and was altogether gracious and 



