b o o k During this period o f ten years were created 40 doCtors
1— „.. . in divinity, 2 3 in phyfick, and 1 5 1 in arts; and 47 thefes
were printed, which had been read before the univeriity.'
This univeriity, juftly called by Stillingfleet, “ that great,
“ and hitherto unrivaled, fchool o f natural hiftory,” is certainly
the firft feminary of the North for academical education;
and has produced, from the time of its inftitution,
perfons eminent in every branch o f fcience. The learned
publications, which have lately been given to the world by
its members, fufficiently prove the flouriihing ftate of literature
in thefe parts; and the thefes, compofed by the ftudcnts
upon their admiflion to their degrees, would form a very
-interefting collection. Many o f thefe traCts,; upon various
fubjeCts of polite literature, antiquities, languages, Sec..which
have fallen under my obfervation, evidence the erudition and
tafte o f the refpeCtive authors : among the works o f this
fort, which have widely diffufed the fame of this learned
fbciety throughout Europe, are the Amcenitates Academics?
or a Collection o f thefes upon Natural Hiftory, held
under the celebrated Linnaeus, and chiefly feleCted by that
able mafter. Dr. Pulteney, in the View o f his Writings,
gives the following account o f this work : “ In "the year
“ 174 9 was publifhed the firft volume of a collection of
“ Thefes in oCtavo, under the title of Amcenitates Acadc-
.« mica, feu Dijfertaiionei varta, Pbyfica, Mec&ca, et Botanica.
“ This publication has been continued, from time to time,
“ to the completion of the feventh volume in the year 1769-
“ Thefe volumes, as foon as publifhed, were regularly
“ reprinted _ in Germany and Holland. It is fuppofed
“ the firft volume was not originally collected by Linnaeus
“ himfelf; but he at leaft reprinted it very early, and, that
“ he might not be defrauded of the advantage o f thefe pub-
“ licadons,
« lications, he became the editor o f all the fucceeding vo- cj^ p'
H lûmes. As thefe academical differtations had been recited .>— ,— *
« before Linnæus in his profeflbrial character, and
« were feleCted by himfelf, they have been regarded as of
“ equal authority; nearly with his own writings ; and many
“ of them do in a particular' manner illuftrate and exem-
“ plify divers parts of his works, the fubjeCts having been
“ pointed out by himfelf in many inftaiices for that pur.pofe,-. -
“ For thefe reafons we ihall, in the courfe of this volume,
“ give a very brief account o f the purport o f each diflèrtà-
u tion, fince they contain a great, variety o f curious intelli-
“ gence on the fubjeCis o f phyfick and natural hiftory, every
“ where digefted in the moft fcientifick tafte >
The library contains many valuable books and manu-
fcripts-. ‘ Olaus Celfius, in a publication upon this fubjeCt t ,
informs us, that it owes its origin to Guffavus Adolphus,
who prefented the. univeriity as well with his own private
collection, which-was very conliderable, as with feveral libraries
obtained in the different countries which he had ■
over-run with his arms ; it being his cuftom to referve far
himfelf, in all towns taken by ftorm,,the books efpecially,
as his fhare of the plunder J. Thus the Jefuits’ library at
Riga, that at Wurftenburgh, and thofe o f many other conquered
towns in Poland, Germany, and-Pruffia, were tranf-
mitted to Upfala. His example was followed by his luccef-
fors.; and thus the victorious arms o f Sweden enriched the
kingdom with, thefe literary acquilitions. Olaus mentions-
Chriftina as a conliderable benefaCtrefs to this library, and
enumerates many private donors ; among whom the moft
* G e n e r a l V iew o f t h e w r it in g s o f L in - j In g e n tem a u r i a r g e n t iq u e p ræ d am m i - .
a tens, p . 4.5. p . 221 to 3 7 3 . - li tib u s r e liq u iflè t r e x , fibi fo lo s re fe rv av ic
t Bib-.; U p f a L H i f to r i a . - 1 ib ro s , qncis fin e ra o rû in p a t r i a n j n iiiif,.
L .'p fiilié n liB ib lo th e eæ in f e r e n d o s . I b id . p . 2 1 ,
. ■ ' 3 . confpicuoüs.