AT LUND. 15 



bouring distrids, and explored not only die vegetable, but also the 

 animal reign, especially the lower classes of the latter, which had al- 

 ready been an objeft of his attention during his residence at Wexicoe. 



He had once like to have fallen a victim to his curiosity. An 

 excursion hurried him on to the very brink of the grave. He was 

 stung by a venomous worm, not rare in Szueden^ and to which he 

 afterwards gave the name of Furia injernalis (the Hell-fury) in his 

 system of Nature*, No. 353. The poison circulated the faster, as he 

 had gone farther into the country, where it was impossible for him to 

 obtain speedy medical relief. He was obliged to keep his bed, and all 

 hopes of his recovery were finally given up. The skill of Stob^us, 

 however, saved him. This perilous accident, which might have terri- 

 fied him for ever, only served to increase his courage and curiosity to 

 get nearer acquainted with the inferior classes of the creation ; and the 

 success which attended his studious perseverance, is universally known. 



The vegetable reign remained above all his favourite pursuit. His 

 experimental knowledge, drawn from Nature, was rendered regular, ex- 

 a£t, and more extensive, by that obtained from books. The library 

 of Stob.cus contained the most valuable works on botany. Lin- 

 N.nus procured them secretly, and impelled by his desire of learning 

 novelties, he read and studied to the last glimpse of the midnight 

 lamp. 



* LiNN^us in his System of Nature, edit. xii. p. 1325, gives the following 'account of 

 tliis worm : Habitat in Bothnite, Suecia Septentrionalis vastis palud'tbus ctespitosis ; ex 

 " athere decidua sape in corpora hominum animaliumque momento cituspenetrat summo omnium 

 " dolore, immo interdum intra quadrantem bora pra dolore occidit, quo et ipse Lundini 1728 

 laboravi. Anima! tionnisi rude siccatum -vidi. Animalibus chaoticis -videtur proprietaiibus 

 <* affine. ^omodo ara petat, unde decidit a salstiiio astivali in hyemale, nutlus dixit." 



SxOBiEUS 



