LINN^US. 



SECTION I. 



Birth and Education of Linnceus. 



Birth and Parentage of Linnaeus — He is destined for the Clerical 

 Profession — His early Fondness for Plants — He is sent to School, 

 where his Progress is so slow that his Father resolves to make 

 him a Shoemaker — Is rescued from this Fate by Dr Rothmann, 

 who receives him into his Family — He becomes decidedly at- 

 tached to the Study of Nature, enters the University of Lund, 

 and is patronised by Professor Stobaeus — When on an Excursion 

 is attacked by a dangerous Malady — Stobaeus surprises him in 

 his nocturnal Studies — He goes to Upsal — Is reduced to ex- 

 treme Poverty, from which he is relieved by Professor Celsius, 

 whom he assists — Is next patronised by Rudbeck, and delegat- 

 ed to read his Lectures — Forms a Friendship with ArtedL 



Charles Linnjeus was born on the 23d May 1707, 

 at Rashult, in the province of Smaland. His fa- 

 ther. Nils, whose ancestors were peasants, was pas- 

 tor of the village, and being the first learned man 

 of his house, had, agreeably to a custom prevalent 

 in Sweden, changed his family-name with his pro- 

 fession, and borrowed that of Linne from a large 

 linden-tree^ which stood in the vicinity of his na- 

 tive place, between Tomsboda and Linnhult. His 

 mother, Christina Broderson_, was the daughter of 

 his father's predecessor in office. 



The pious parents had intended him likewise for 

 the service of the church, either because they con- 

 sidered the clerical profession the best adapted to 



