LINN^US. 



SECTION I. 



Birth and Education of Linnaeus. 



Birth and Parentaj^e 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 

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

 who receives him into his Family — He becomes decidedh' at- 

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

 and is patronised by Professor Stobsus — 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 vvith Artedi. 



Charles Linn^us 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 



