WEXIO 45 



being forced to the Church, but to a more congenial 

 profession which would utilise his botanical studies. 

 He finally offered to give young Linnseus board and in- 

 struction for a time if he were permitted to continue 

 his studies at the gymnasium not in divinity, but in 

 medicine. At the end of a year they might see if a 

 trade were really the better decision. 



This was some comfort to carry home to the anxious 

 mother. 



' Life is not long/ says Dr. Johnson, ' and too much 

 of it must not pass in an idle deliberation how it shall 

 be spent.' But it is human nature all the world over 

 to seize any delay in making a change for the worse 

 something may turn up. 



Rothman spoke kindly of the lad of his diligence, 

 his peculiar endowments for his favourite studies. The 

 first praises of his boy sounded sweet in the father's 

 ears. Rothman was himself an eminent man, cele- 

 brated throughout all Wexio. No matter the area, the 

 celebrity was the thing ; he was first in Wexio. 



Carl added his entreaties to Rothman's persuasion. 

 Many times had he heard his father say that a young 

 man ought to learn that for which he felt the greatest 

 inclination, because the natural propensity of a person 

 always advanced him most in point of perfection. He 

 was right in a general sense. It requires the highest 

 genius to fight its way through all drawbacks. It is 

 like good roads and good walking-shoes to a traveller 

 that the line of life should go with the general bias. 



