64 BIOGEAPHIES OF SCIENTIFIC MEN 



Linnaeus' college at Wexio) invited him to become a 

 member of his household. This was accepted, and here 

 Linnaeus studied a little physic and a good deal of botany. 



In 1727 he entered the University of Lund, and 

 attended the lectures of Stobceus on physic and botany. 

 Stobceus, noting the intelligence of the pupil, took him 

 into his own home. Here he commenced the formation of 

 a herbarium. 



Afterwards Linnaeus left Lund for the University of 

 Upsala, and on an allowance of eight pounds a year the 

 young man pursued his studies, wearing the cast-off 

 clothes of other students, stopping up the holes in his 

 boots with paper, and frequently feeling the pangs of 

 hunger. This was a most distressing time, but the 

 youthful botanist struggled through it, cheering himself 

 with knowledge he was daily gaining. This was the brave 

 young spirit who consoled himself that " wisdom is better 

 than rubies." How many others would have sunk under 

 such an ordeal ! 



A benefactor at this period was Celsius, professor of 

 divinity at Upsala, who was astonished at the extent of 

 the knowledge of botany displayed by Linnaeus. Celsius 

 offered Linnaeus board-residence free in his own home 

 on condition that he helped the professor in his literary 

 work. The professor was writing a work on the trees and 

 plants mentioned in the Bible, and Linnaeus was to help 

 in the compilation of the work. It was in the library 



