LINN^US 311 



trees are chiefly firs and birches, with an occasional 

 clump of beeches. Lakes, such as Lake Mockeln, on 

 which Stenbrohult is situate, often shine through the 

 branches. Linnaeus thought this a fit birthplace for a 

 naturalist. 



Many of his kindred were farmers, doctors or pastors, 

 several of whom took names (Lindelius, Linnaeus, THi- 

 ander) from a tall lime-tree, near which they lived. 



The parsonage at Stenbrohult had a good garden, and 

 the pastor, who was something of a naturalist, taught 

 his son botany, besides the ordinary learning of the 

 grammar-school. Linnaeus' teachers, whether at home 

 or at the gymnasium, thought him a dunce. There was 

 even talk of binding him to a shoemaker, but a doctor, 

 who happened to be consulted, pointed out that the boy's 

 enthusiasm for natural history was a promising sign, and 

 advised that he should be brought up to medicine. 



At the age of twenty Linnaeus entered the university 

 of Lund, and now began a bitter struggle, which was 

 destined to last for years. Poverty, insufficient teaching, 

 and paltry jealousies long hindered him from rising. He 

 went to Lund with hopes of assistance from a relative, 

 who was a professor of the university, but the first sight 

 which met his eyes on arrival was the professor's funeral. 

 After a year at Lund he migrated to Upsala, taking 

 with him a small sum of money, his only patrimony. 

 At Upsala he found that no lectures in anatomy, botany 

 or chemistry were to be had ; the professor of divinity, 

 Olaf Celsius, was, it is true, a botanist, almost the 

 only one in Sweden, but he was at the time living at 

 Stockholm. Among the undergraduates however was a 

 young man, named Peter Artedi, who was working hard 

 at chemistry and natural history ; Linnaeus sought his 

 acquaintance, and the two students encouraged and 



