CAROLUS LINNAEUS 33 



quietly made his way to the door, opened it 

 and went in. The young man was found alone 

 at his study table, which was covered with 

 open books. A step nearer the table disclosed 

 the interesting and not readily accountable 

 fact that all were books on botany, and out of 

 Stobseus's own library that was always kept 

 securely locked. To the question how he 

 obtained those books from the locked library 

 Linnseus answered in brief, and very frankly, 

 that the other student had desired of him a 

 course of instruction in physics; that he had 

 begun the course, and was continuing it, 

 upon the stipulated condition that he, who 

 had free access to the library, should nightly 

 bring him books of botany, which he himself 

 would study late at night, so that they might 

 be returned to the library shelves in the early 

 morning before the household should be astir. 

 Dr. Stobaeus, suppressing the pleasure and 

 approbation that were mingled with his amaze- 

 ment, said: "Go to bed, and hereafter sleep 

 while other people are asleep." The next 

 morning he sent for Linnaeus to come to his 

 study; asked him to rehearse again the story 

 of how he obtained those books; then gave 

 him a duplicate key to the library, together 

 with permission to use it as freely as if it 

 3 



