LINN^US. 59 



and possibly that he might accomplish great things 

 in the pursuit of natural history. At the same 

 time he liberally offered, in case the father's 

 circumstances did not permit him to maintain his 

 son in a course of studies, to take him into his 

 own house, and provide for him during the year he 

 must remain at the gymnasium. 



This generous proposal was gratefully accepted, 

 and the result was most satisfactory. Linnaeus 

 received from his benefactor a course of private 

 instructions in physiology with so much success, 

 that the youth was able to give a most accurate 

 report of all he had been taught. At the same 

 time, this worthy teacher put him into the right 

 method of studying botany, showing the necessity 

 of proceeding in a scientific manner, and directing 

 his attention to the system of Tournefort. The 

 very imperfections he found in this work stimu- 

 lated his desire for something more perfect, and 

 were, in this way, of use to the future naturalist. 



The year following (1727) Linnaeus proceeded to 

 the University at Lund, furnished, as he has him- 

 self recorded, with a " not very creditable certifi- 

 cate." This curiosity, after its kind, was to the 

 effect that youth at school may be compared to 

 plants, which sometimes baffle all the skill of the 

 gardener, but, being transplanted to a different soil, 

 occasionally turn out well. With this view, and no 

 other, the bearer was sent to the University, which, 

 possibly, might prove propitious to his progress ! 



Happily, the young man had a friend at the 



