Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-10-23

Charles IinD;eus.
Had you happened to be travelling
about hundred years ago i'll the then
far-otf country of Sweden you might
have seen, perhaps, a certain gigantic
old llnden-tree standing upon little
farm within the village of Rashult.
This tree is famous for giving name
to the family who dwelt ior many goa.
erations beneath its shade, and this
family for giving to the world the great
est naturalist OF the eighteenth century
Charles li1ntus.
He was born MAY 3. 1907. His father,
Nils Linn us, was the Lutheran pastor
Of Rashult. In the JOY of his heart at
having a son born to him, the good
pastor dedicated Ii $ child to the SER
vice of God, and early began the train
ing necessary to make minister of
him. This disposal of his future, how
ever gave the poor boy much trouble
in his school days.
When Charles was two years old he
was made to learn the Swedish alpha
bet. Soon after he began the Latin
grammar. Before he was ten he had
been taught something Of geology, and
| ! dare not say how much besides; but
he liked roaming about the fields and
woods, poking among leaves and flow
crs, or even working in the garden,
great deal better than learning lessons
ont OF books At last, in despair at the
boys likeness, his father determined to
send him away to school
The next seven years of his life,
therefore, Were spent at the famous
Latin school OF Wexio. As schools go,
this was not disagreeable one; still
Charles preference Tor vegetable roots
over Latin ones pursued him even
here. His heart never was in the work
given him to do. His exercises were
generally bad, All proper knowledge
seemed "to tri .kle through his head
like water through sieve" Instead
of attending to his lessons, he was for
ever strewing the floor and walls of his
! simple room with fresh tree branches,
or bits of some wonderful creeper he
had just discovered. He was the butt
and laughing-stocll of his comrades,
who nicknamed him "the little botan-
ist." When the time came for his ex-
animation for admttance to higher
hool, the effect of his idleness was of
course too apparent. He failed utterly.
His disappointed father was advised to
apprentice him to a tailor or shoe
maker; but fortunately learned man,
DR.. Rothman, Lecame acquainted with
the lad, and found that he was boy of
great prom Sc. He comforted the poor
father by telling him that Charles
would become famous naturalist in
! time; and more than this, he begged to
be allowed to take the youth into his
own family, promising to teach him his
own branch of sclence, medicine.
! This was the beginning of the boys
upward career. From the time he was
, taken under DIR. Rothman's protection
he went steadily on to fortune and
fame, although encountering many
| drawbacks by the way. He won hon
ors for himself at the University of
Lund. At twenty-one he was able to
enter the higher one of Upsala.
Here he was very poor-so poor that
he was forced to mend and wear the
t-oH shoes of his fellow-students, as
we'll as to ac ept their help in thou
sand other ways. But again in his
greatest need he found n friend, this
time in certain learned professor Of
theology and Oriental languages ono
| CLAUS Celsius-who henceforth made
himself the teacher, father, and al
! moner of the struggling youth. To
, the last day of his life Linnpus never
forgot his debt of gratitude to this
great benefactor.
SO he passed on from one honor to
another. He srent many years in
travel. He went to Lapland in order
to describe the plants of that northern
climate. For three years he studied
and taught in Holland. at the same
time collecting material for his many
valuable works.
These works appeared with great
rapidity, and made known the name
and fame of Linnaus to the entire
world. Having graduated as ply
'ician, he received an appointment in
;he Swedish navy. At thirty-four he
vas offered the chair OF Botanical Pro-
essor at his old University of Upsala.
lere he was in his true element, and
ave such zest to the studies of botany
md zoology I at students tiocked to
ann from Denmark and Holland, from
England, Germany, and Russia. These
Students he after time organized
lto scientific PARTIES. They travelled
% the farthest corners of the earth in
search of new plants and strange ami
mails, scarcely sparing their lives even
10 obtain knowledge of the habits of
each. Do you wonder that this re-
narkable man felt proud and happy at
lis success in life after all?
That he did SO was proved by a
curious bit of writing found in his
journal after his death. l his is part
Of it,
"Linneus' Happiness, Reward. and
Fame. God has given him the wife he
most desired, who takes all household
.are from him, leaving him to study.
bod has granted him the greatest
herbarium in the world, his Joy. God
las honored him with a title, with a
star, and an escutcheon, and with a
home in the world of letters"
Linnaus died in January of ITS,
aged 70 years and months. His wife
i - l. l.