L I N N JE U S. 
5 
him from farther attempts of this sort, which his innocent simplicity had 
induced him to consider as an aft free from mischief. Meanwhile his 
collections and excursions increased his little stores of knowledge, and 
roused in him that love of Nature, which at his farther advance into 
life, derived additional energy as he gradually became more acquainted 
with her beauties. Thus minute and accidental circumstances have 
frequently become the sources of great results ! 
The father was the more willing to indulge his son in those botani- 
cal occupations and wanderings, since they constituted the most inno- 
cent and best of diversions, became serviceable to his health, and did 
not interfere with his diligence in receiving instruction. He initiated 
him in the elements of the Latin tongue, religion, geography, &c. All 
this was done to qualify him for the pulpit; and in order to conduCt his 
studies more systematically, and to fqster his love and desire of science, 
he resolved to send his Charles to the Latin school in the adjacent 
town of Wexicoe, in the province of Smaland. 
At the epoch of this determination Linnaeus had seen his second 
lustre. He arrived at Wexicoe in 1717* The love and pursuit of his 
favourite occupation did not quit him on his journey thither. He 
spent in it every moment which respited him from h udies. On 
holidays no pupil was so little found at home as Linn.® us. The boy 
took more delight in gathering plants, and examining them, than in 
learning his phraseology, or writing out his themes. Had he re- 
mained under the immediate direction of his father, his zeal for the 
science of which he was once to shine the luminary, would have much 
suffered by lessons of divinity ; but it fortunately so happened, th,., 
the reCtor of the school at Wexicoe, whose name was Lanaerius, 
was 
