Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnæus: with Introductory remarks on the Study of Natural HistoryMacGillivray, William
Philosophy
Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnæus: with Introductory remarks on the Study of Natural History
MacGillivray, William
Zoologists
obtaining her, had it not been for another friend, who laid
open his treachery. He has since paid dearly for his
conduct, by innumerable misfortunes.
"At last I came back, but still destitute of a maintenance.
The young lady was partial to me, and not to him. I settled
at Stockholm, the laughing-stock of every body on account of
my botany. No one cared how many sleepless nights and
toilsome hours I had passed, as all, with one voice,
declared that Siegesbeck had annihilated me. There was
nobody who would put even a servant under my care. I was
obliged to live as I could, in virtuous poverty. By very
slow degrees I began to acquire some practice. But now my
adverse fate took a sudden turn, and after so long a
succession of cloudy prospects the sun broke out upon me. I
emerged from my obscurity, obtained access to the great, and
every unfavourable presage vanished. No invalid could now
recover without my assistance. I began to get money, and was
busy in attendance on the sick, from four in the morning
till late in the evening; nor were my nights uninterrupted
by the calls of my patients. Aha! said I, Esculapius is the
giver of all good things; Flora bestows nothing upon me but
Siegesbecks! I took my leave of Flora; condemned my
too-numerous observations a thousand times over to eternal
oblivion; and swore never to give any answer to Siegesbeck.
"Soon afterwards, I was appointed first physician to the
navy. The magistracy immediately conferred upon me the
regius professorship, that I might teach botany in the seat
of government at Stockholm, with the addition of an annual
stipend. Then my fondness for plants revived. I was also
enabled to present myself to the bride to whom I had been
for five years engaged, and was honourably received as her
husband. My father-in-law, rather fond of his money, proved
not very liberal to me; but I can do without it, and those
who come after me will enjoy it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account