his time reading Euclid’s geometry,
1 Keill’s Physica et Astronomia,
2 Wolff’s
Logica
3 and Wallerius’ Systema metaphysicum.
4 , [1] He got up at 4 a.m. every
morning and went to bed at 11 p.m. He ate in his room, which he often did not leave
for an entire week. It seems quite safe to assume that Bergman, with his deep
interest in biology, also approached Linnaeus, and probably joined him and his
students on excursions in the area. Not surprisingly, this double life and hard work
exhausted Bergman, and his studies in Uppsala thus ended at midsummer the
following year, when he went back to his parents in Mariestad.
Bergman spent 15 months recovering at Tjos farmstead (Fig. 4.2), 17 km
north-east of Mariestad, where his family now lived. He used this time for studies
rather than recreation. Bergman expanded his herbarium, which he had compiled in
Skara, comparing the plants he collected with Linnaeus’ descriptions from the
books he had brought with him from Uppsala. Most interest, however, he found in
collecting insects. Those that he could not identify using Linnaeus’ Fauna suecia,
were sent with a traveller to Linnaeus that Christmas [4]. Most of these were,
according to Bergman, unknown also to Linnaeus, who sent Bergman a letter
acknowledging the discoveries. As Linnaeus was one of Europe’s most celebrated
scientists, this must have been very inspiring for young Bergman. Apart from this,
he also found time to expand his knowledge in mathematics: he studied Fredrik
Palmquist’s book Inledning til algebra (Introduction to Algebra) but was annoyed
by the frequent printing errors. Without assistance, a few lines could keep him busy
for an entire week, but as he finally resolved a problem, the pleasure was indescribable [4].
Bergman returned to Uppsala and the University in the fall of 1754, now with his
parents’ permission to study mathematics and physics. He continued his old habit,
largely ignoring the lectures and spending the time reading books that he bought. In
his autobiography, he gives the impressions of being an autodidact, which is
actually not true.
Bergman spend a lot of time in the astronomical observatory (Fig. 4.3), and in
the absence of the observatory assistants, he often acted as manager [5]. On the
initiative of Anders Celsius,
5 an old, possibly mediaeval, two-storey stone building
had been supplied with an observation tower on the roof. The observatory was less
than 10 years old when Bergman arrived, but had unfortunately turned out to be
quite unsuitable for astronomical observations. Since it was built in the middle of
Uppsala, the view towards the horizon was obscured by roofs and smoke from
1
Elementa by Greek mathematician Euclid (around 300 BC). Possibly he used Mårten Strömer’s
Swedish translation from 1744: Euclidis Elementa eller grundeliga inledning til geometrien.
2
Introductiones ad veram Physicam et veram Astronomiam, the posthumous collected works of
Scottish mathematician John Keill (1671–1721), published in 1725.
3
Vernünftige Gedanken von den Kräften des menschlichen Verstandes (1712) by German
philosopher and mathematician Christian von Wolff (1679–1754). Possibly in a Latin translation.
4
Systema metaphysicum (3 vols. 1750–1752) by Swedish philosopher Nils Wallerius (1706–1764),
professor in Uppsala.
5
Anders Celsius (1701–1744); Swedish astronomer, well known for the temperature scale he
invented.
46
4 Bergman’s and Scheele’s Education
1 Keill’s Physica et Astronomia,
2 Wolff’s
Logica
3 and Wallerius’ Systema metaphysicum.
4 , [1] He got up at 4 a.m. every
morning and went to bed at 11 p.m. He ate in his room, which he often did not leave
for an entire week. It seems quite safe to assume that Bergman, with his deep
interest in biology, also approached Linnaeus, and probably joined him and his
students on excursions in the area. Not surprisingly, this double life and hard work
exhausted Bergman, and his studies in Uppsala thus ended at midsummer the
following year, when he went back to his parents in Mariestad.
Bergman spent 15 months recovering at Tjos farmstead (Fig. 4.2), 17 km
north-east of Mariestad, where his family now lived. He used this time for studies
rather than recreation. Bergman expanded his herbarium, which he had compiled in
Skara, comparing the plants he collected with Linnaeus’ descriptions from the
books he had brought with him from Uppsala. Most interest, however, he found in
collecting insects. Those that he could not identify using Linnaeus’ Fauna suecia,
were sent with a traveller to Linnaeus that Christmas [4]. Most of these were,
according to Bergman, unknown also to Linnaeus, who sent Bergman a letter
acknowledging the discoveries. As Linnaeus was one of Europe’s most celebrated
scientists, this must have been very inspiring for young Bergman. Apart from this,
he also found time to expand his knowledge in mathematics: he studied Fredrik
Palmquist’s book Inledning til algebra (Introduction to Algebra) but was annoyed
by the frequent printing errors. Without assistance, a few lines could keep him busy
for an entire week, but as he finally resolved a problem, the pleasure was indescribable [4].
Bergman returned to Uppsala and the University in the fall of 1754, now with his
parents’ permission to study mathematics and physics. He continued his old habit,
largely ignoring the lectures and spending the time reading books that he bought. In
his autobiography, he gives the impressions of being an autodidact, which is
actually not true.
Bergman spend a lot of time in the astronomical observatory (Fig. 4.3), and in
the absence of the observatory assistants, he often acted as manager [5]. On the
initiative of Anders Celsius,
5 an old, possibly mediaeval, two-storey stone building
had been supplied with an observation tower on the roof. The observatory was less
than 10 years old when Bergman arrived, but had unfortunately turned out to be
quite unsuitable for astronomical observations. Since it was built in the middle of
Uppsala, the view towards the horizon was obscured by roofs and smoke from
1
Elementa by Greek mathematician Euclid (around 300 BC). Possibly he used Mårten Strömer’s
Swedish translation from 1744: Euclidis Elementa eller grundeliga inledning til geometrien.
2
Introductiones ad veram Physicam et veram Astronomiam, the posthumous collected works of
Scottish mathematician John Keill (1671–1721), published in 1725.
3
Vernünftige Gedanken von den Kräften des menschlichen Verstandes (1712) by German
philosopher and mathematician Christian von Wolff (1679–1754). Possibly in a Latin translation.
4
Systema metaphysicum (3 vols. 1750–1752) by Swedish philosopher Nils Wallerius (1706–1764),
professor in Uppsala.
5
Anders Celsius (1701–1744); Swedish astronomer, well known for the temperature scale he
invented.
46
4 Bergman’s and Scheele’s Education