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ZOOLOGY 



Linnaeus 

 with Dr. 



Stobaeus 



Life at 

 University 

 of Upsala 



3. The year with Dr. Rothmann completed, Carl 

 proceeded to the University of Lund, where he found 

 lodging under the roof of Dr. Stobaeus. His new 

 patron was a man of some consequence, with a collec- 

 tion of natural history specimens and a valuable library. 

 The library was so valuable, containing so many rare 

 and costly books, that it was kept locked ; only Stobaeus 

 himself and his assistant had access to it. Carl Lin- 

 naeus, eager for botanical knowledge, persuaded the 

 assistant to bring him books, on the one -condition 

 that they should be read during the hours of the night, 

 when there was no fear of detection. Very early in 

 the morning they were replaced on the shelves, and the 

 doctor had no reason to suspect the infringement of 

 his rules. It so happened, however, that the doctor's 

 old mother did not sleep well, and from her window she 

 noted, night after night, a candlelight in the young 

 man's room. Dr. Stobaeus, suspecting some dissipa- 

 tion, resolved to find out what this meant, and at two 

 in the morning softly went to Linnaeus's door, and 

 opened it. He saw Carl hard at work, the most pre- 

 cious botanical works from the library spread out be- 

 fore him ! The doctor, far from being angry, was de- 

 lighted to witness such zeal, and from that time did 

 everything in his power to further Linnaeus's studies. 

 He gave him a key to the library, and begged him to 

 read by day and take the necessary rest at night. 



4. After a year at Lund, Linnaeus wished to go to 

 the greater University at Upsala, where he had hoped to 

 find still better opportunities for learning. His parents 

 consented, but were unable to support him there ; he 

 would have to work his way through as best he could. 

 A year had not passed when he found himself almost 

 penniless, so poor that he had to line his shoes with 



