When the first volumes of Buffon made their appearance, the elegance of their style had a prejudicial effect on the popularity of Reaumur's writings; and as naturalists, like poets and artists, generally belong to the _irritabile genus_,--the sensitive class of mankind,--our author seems to have experienced considerable chagrin. In other respects, however, he lived a very quiet life; residing sometimes on his estate in Saintonge, and sometimes at his country-house of Bercy, in the neighbourhood of Paris. He had no public employment, except that of intendant of the order of St Louis, of which he performed the duties for the benefit of a relative whom circumstances prevented from discharging them, and to whom he resigned the emoluments. He died on the 18th October 1757, at the age of 74; his death being accelerated by a fall which he had received at the castle of Bermondiere, whither he had gone to pass the vacations. He seems to have been in all respects an amiable man, of correct habits and great mildness of disposition. His life, therefore, presents none of those bickerings and other manifestations of rivalry which have produced so much disquietude to some other naturalists; and, as his fortune was sufficient for his comfortable subsistence, he was freed from those cares which distract the attention, and enabled to pursue his favourite studies with advantage.[J] FOOTNOTES: [J] Biographie Universelle, art. Reaumur, tome xxxvii. p. 198. LINNAEUS. SECTION I. _Birth and Education of Linnaeus._ Birth and Parentage of Linnaeus--He is destined for the Clerical Profession--His early Fondness for Plants--He is sent to School, where his Progress is so slow that his Father resolves to make him a Shoemaker--Is rescued from this Fate by Dr Rothmann, who receives him into his Family--He becomes decidedly attached to the Study of Nature, enters the University of Lund, and is patronised by Professor Stobaeus--When on an Excursion is attacked by a dangerous Malady--Stobaeus surprises him in his nocturnal Studies--He goes to Upsal--Is reduced to extreme Poverty, from which he is relieved by Professor Celsius, whom he assists--Is next patronised by Rudbeck, and delegated to read his Lectures--Forms a Friendship with Artedi. Charles Linnaeus was born on the 23d May 1707, at Rashult, in the province of Smaland. His father, Nils, whose ancestors were peasants, was pastor of the village, and being the first learned man of his house, had, agreeably to a custom prevalent in Sweden, changed his family-name with his profession, and borrowed that of Linne from a large linden-tree, which stood in the vicinity of his native place, between Tomsboda and Linnhult. His mother, Christina Broderson, was the daughter of his father's predecessor in office.