Linnæus' college at Wexio) invited him to become a member of his household. This was accepted, and here Linnæus studied a little physic and a good deal of botany.
In 1727 he entered the University of Lund, and attended the lectures of Stobceœus on physic and botany. Stobœus, noting the intelligence of the pupil, took him into his own home. Here he commenced the formation of a herbarium.
Afterwards Linnæus left Lund for the University of Upsala, and on an allowance of eight pounds a year the young man pursued his studies, wearing the cast-off clothes of other students, stopping up the holes in his boots with paper, and frequently feeling the pangs of hunger. This was a most distressing time, but the youthful botanist struggled through it, cheering himself with knowledge he was daily gaining. This was the brave young spirit who consoled himself that "wisdom is better than rubies." How many others would have sunk under such an ordeal!
A benefactor at this period was Celsius, professor of divinity at Upsala, who was astonished at the extent of the knowledge of botany displayed by Linnæus. Celsius offered Linnæus board-residence free in his own home on condition that he helped the professor in his literary work. The professor was writing a work on the trees and plants mentioned in the Bible, and Linnæus was to help in the compilation of the work. It was in the library
