LINN^US. 57 



exercises and give himself up to the study of his 

 favourite pursuit — the knowledge of flowers. He 

 acknowledges that his time was chiefly spent in 

 wandering about the outskirts of the town, and 

 making himself acquainted with all the plants he 

 could find. According to the system then pursued 

 in Sweden, it was necessary that youths should 

 pass from the schools or private tutors to a superior 

 seminary, called the Gymnasium, where the higher 

 branches of literature were taught ; and accordingly, 

 at the age of seventeen, the young Linnseus was 

 removed thither. But the original predilections of 

 his mind were then still more strikingly evinced 

 and matured. He showed the strongest distaste 

 for theological studies. In the metaphysics, ethics, 

 Greek and Hebrew, and theology his companions 

 far outstripped him ; but in mathematics, and par- 

 ticularly physics, he as much excelled them. His 

 favourite science, botany, which at that time was 

 wholly neglected, still continued to be his most 

 engrossing pursuit, and he soon contrived to form 

 small library of books in that branch. Among 

 'others he mentions the " Chloris Gothica " of Bro- 

 melius, and Rudbeck's " Hortus Upsaliensis," which 

 he confesses his inability then to comprehend 

 clearly. Nevertheless he says he "continued to 

 read them day and night, and committed them to 

 memory." His own copies of these books, "used 

 with the utmost care and neatness," were preserved 

 among his library, and after his death were sold 

 .with his collection. The zeal and eagerness he 



