AT LUND. 
15 
bouring distrifts, and explored not only the vegetable, but also the 
animal reign, especially the lower classes of the latter, which had al- 
ready been an object 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 Sweden, 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 Stobbius, 
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- 
aft, and. more extensive, by that obtained from books. The library 
of Stob.eus contained the most valuable works on botany. Lin- 
naeus procured them secretly, and impelled by his desire of learning 
novelties, he read and studied to the last glimpse of the midnight 
lamp. 
% 
* Linnaeus in his System of Nature, edit. xii. p. 1325, gives the following [account of 
this worm: “ Habitat in Bothnia, S: cite Scptentrionalis vastis paludibus caspitosis ; ex 
« a thcre decidua Siepe it corpora bominum anintaliumque momenta citus penetrat summo omnium 
“ dolor e, immo interdum intra quad rant cm bora; pra dolore occidit, quo el ipse Lundini 172S 
“ laboravi. Animal nonnisi rude siccatum oidi. Animalibus chaoticis •videtur proprietatibus 
“ affine. §>uomodo tera petal, unde decidit a solstitio estiuali in hyemale , nullus dixit.' 
StOBaEUS 
