6 
MEMOIR OF LINNAEUS. 
means of returning ; and Dr. Stobaeus had taken it amiss, that he 
should have changed his residence without consulting him. 
He was, however, soon relieved from this uncomfortable 
state by the kindness of new friends. The assiduity with which 
he studied the plants in the botanical garden, attracted the atten- 
tion of Professor Rudbeck, and Dr. Celsius ; and the latter, re- 
quiring an assistant, thought that Linnaeus was qualified for that 
situation, and he opened his house and table to our naturalist, 
who amply compensated this indulgence by his strict attention. It 
was here that he composed his Spolia Botanica, a work never pub- 
lished ; and contracted a friendship with Artedi, afterwards cele- 
brated for his Ichthyology. These two young men now devoted 
their whole leisure to natural history ; Linnaeus reserving for his 
share, birds, insects and plants; while his companion took fishes,, 
reptiles, &c. 
About this time he made two or three journeys, in order to 
gather plants from various parts of the country, which well repaid 
him for his labor. On his return, he was introduced to Dr. Mo- 
reus, an eminent physician ; and, being often at his house, became 
deeply enamoured with his eldest daughter. Her father thought 
well of Linnaeus, but not of his prospects in life : he wavered in 
giving his consent to the union — " voluit et noluit," expressively 
writes Linnaeus to a friend, — and ultimately decided, that a proba- 
tion of three years should be undergone, when his decision would 
be given. All the efforts of the naturalist were now turned to 
that of bettering his condition in life. Medicine was chosen as a 
profession ; but for this a degree must be acquired ; and he re- 
solved to proceed to the University of Harderwick. He travelled 
by Hamburgh, through Holland, to the place of his destination ; 
and, at the former place, had nearly got into disagreeable embar- 
rassments, by pronouncing the famous Seven-headed Hydra to be 
a deception, composed of weasles' jaw-bones, covered with ser- 
