196 LINNy^US. 



wealth, or even to a moderate independence. It was 

 therefore resolved that he should qualify himself for 

 the practice of medicine ; and to this proposal the 

 pastor and his wife at length reluctantly assented. 



Baffled in their views with respect to Charles, 

 they resolved to transfer their cares to their second 

 son, Samuel, whom they hoped to prevent from 

 addicting himself to similar pursuits by prohibiting 

 his entrance into the garden, and even the gathering 

 of flowers in the fields. This restriction, however, 

 had not the full effect ; for Samuel also was a lover 

 of botany, although his parents had the gratification 

 of seeing him at length become a preacher. 



In the house of Rothmann, the elder brother, who 

 had hitherto studied botany without any regular 

 method, found Tournefort's Institutiones Rei Her- 

 barise, — a work which opened new prospects to his 

 view, and tended to increase his zeal. The more 

 lie became acquainted with nature, the more did his 

 love of knowledge increase, and his frequent excur- 

 sions into the country soon rendered his acquire- 

 ments conspicuous. Having remained three years at 

 the College of Wexio, he was prepared to become a 

 pupil in a higher seminary of learning, and in 1727 

 set out for the University of Lund. 



At an early stage of his progress he had studied 

 several botanical works which are now little known, 

 such as those of IManson, Tilland, Palmberg, Bro- 

 mellius, and Rudbeck. But the benevolent Roth- 

 mann showed him that the guides whom he had 

 followed were unworthy of confidence, and advised 

 him to begin by examining the flower, as recom- 

 mended by Tournefort, giving him at the same 

 time Valentini's figures of plants. He accordingly 



