he had to return to Skara with bitterness. He was stubborn and hot tempered [17],
but Linnaeus, who met Hof in Skara, was impressed by his botanical knowledge
[18]. His most important works include a book on the proper style of writing
Swedish, published in 1753, and a book on the Västergötland dialect of Swedish,
Dialectus vestrogothica, including a dictionary of 3,000 words, published in 1772.
Although there was no education in natural science in Skara, specially gifted pupils
could get private teaching in botany from Hof. Bergman was one of these pupils,
and he got private education in both Latin and botany [19]. Most probably, Hof’s
interest in science strongly influenced Bergman’s choice of career.
Bergman graduated from the Gymnasium in 1752 with a speech expressing the
great sorrow caused by the death of King Frederick I in April 1751. In fact, as
indicated in the introduction, few actually mourned Frederick I. Of course, we have
not much more information on Bergman’s childhood (Fig. 2.2).
Fig. 2.2 A copy of P
Lansbergius’ book Gustavi
Magni Bellum Germanicum
(Gustavus Adolphus German
War) published in Rotterdam
in 1652. The book was bought
on auction by 14 year old
Torbern Bergman on
December 4, 1749, his first
year at the Gymnasium. The
auctioned books came from
the library of Skara vicar
(domprost) Harald Ullenius,
who collected and wrote
down local history. Photo
Anders Lennartson
2.1 Grammar School in Skara
15
but Linnaeus, who met Hof in Skara, was impressed by his botanical knowledge
[18]. His most important works include a book on the proper style of writing
Swedish, published in 1753, and a book on the Västergötland dialect of Swedish,
Dialectus vestrogothica, including a dictionary of 3,000 words, published in 1772.
Although there was no education in natural science in Skara, specially gifted pupils
could get private teaching in botany from Hof. Bergman was one of these pupils,
and he got private education in both Latin and botany [19]. Most probably, Hof’s
interest in science strongly influenced Bergman’s choice of career.
Bergman graduated from the Gymnasium in 1752 with a speech expressing the
great sorrow caused by the death of King Frederick I in April 1751. In fact, as
indicated in the introduction, few actually mourned Frederick I. Of course, we have
not much more information on Bergman’s childhood (Fig. 2.2).
Fig. 2.2 A copy of P
Lansbergius’ book Gustavi
Magni Bellum Germanicum
(Gustavus Adolphus German
War) published in Rotterdam
in 1652. The book was bought
on auction by 14 year old
Torbern Bergman on
December 4, 1749, his first
year at the Gymnasium. The
auctioned books came from
the library of Skara vicar
(domprost) Harald Ullenius,
who collected and wrote
down local history. Photo
Anders Lennartson
2.1 Grammar School in Skara
15