ARTEDI, or ARCTEDIUS, was a Swedish naturalist, whose name has been rescued from obscurity, chiefly owing to his having been a companion of the celebrated Linnaeus. Artedi was born in Angermanland, of poor parents, in the year 1705, and followed a course of study at the college of Hernasand, the principal town of his native province. There he, at an early period of his life, manifested a decided partiality in favour of ichthy ology, a science at that time involved in great obscuri ty. In the year 1724, he went to the university of Up sal, and, as if aware of the limited patronage which the explorers of nature in general obtain, the express ob ject of his residence was the study of theology. In this he seems to have made little progress, and the bent of natural genius, so strongly implanted in his mind, soon displayed itself, by his exchanging the dulness of scho lastic controversy for more interesting and congenial pursuits. While prosecuting those with assiduity, having also arrived at Upsal, for the purpose of attending the university, in 1728, enquired who was the student then attending it most eminent for his know ledge of natural history. Common consent ascribed this character to Artedi, which inspired Linnaeus with an ardent desire to enjoy his acquaintance. Accord ingly, having sought him out, he saw him under the most inauspicious circumstances ; pale and dejected, and bitterly lamenting the decease of his father, of which he had just obtained intelligence. The conversation of the two naturalists was, in a short time, directed to their kinch•ed inquiries, and the extent of knowledge that Ar tedi displayed was the subject of astonishment to Lin naeus. He solicited his friendship, and from thence forward the strictest intimacy was formed between them.
Artedi did not confine his studies to fishes only ; he also cultivated botany with success, particularly the branch relative to umbelliferous plants, in which he dis covered a new mode of classification. He was skilful in chemistry, and the testimony of his friend infers, that he was likewise addicted to alchemy. He also under took to reduce the amphibious class to a systematic ar rangement. Nevertheless, during his residence at Up sal, his great object was to reform and systematise ich thyology, N% hich he effected, though he did not himself survive to make his improvements known to the public.
A constant emulation prevailing between Artedi and Linnxus, excited the strongest desire in both to excel ; lbr it was only that friendly emulation which led each to wish the perfecting of his own knowledge. Neither re fused to admit the alternate superiority of the other, ac cording as he made greater discoveries in the peculiar subjects of his study. Linnxus exceeded Artedi in bo tany, and Artedi surpassed him in chemistry. They began their inquiries into the nature of fishes and in sects together ; but Linnxus soon yielded the palm to his friend in ichthyology, and Artedi acknowledged the superiority of Linnxus in entomology. At length, by
mutual consent, they agreed to divide the kingdoms of nature between them, and that each should retain his own discoveries to himself ; a resolution of short dura tion, which was interrupted by their constant inter com se, and ended in unreserved communication. These things materially contributed to stimulate them to new exertions. This energetic pursuit of knowledge ought to be viewed with the greater interest, on considering the situation of the two friends at the period of which we speak : both were depressed by poverty, even to an extraordinary degree. Alike obscure from birth, nei ther had relatives, nor pecuniary resources, and but few friends to support them. It is well known that Lin VITUS, one of the most illustrious naturalists who ever lived, frequently experienced difficulty in procuring a meal to sustain the calls of nature, and was content to clothe himself with what had been cast aside by his fel low students. We cannot here refrain from expressing our lively regret, at finding in other kingdoms, what is too common in our own, that those, the best qualified to stamp celebrity on a country, should generally be the most neglected by it; while we daily behold insignifi cant characters called into notice, void of personal me rit to claim a recommendation. Artedi, after having resided several years at Upsal, visited England in 1734, for the purpose of improving his knowledge in ichthy ology, to which he now devoted his whole attention. In London his resources were quite exhausted, and he went to Holland, anxious to attain a literary de gree, which the embarrassed state of his finances al most seemed to preclude. While in a state next to in digence, he unexpectedly met Linnaeus at Leyden in 1735, to whom he disclosed his necessities, explaining, that he was not only unable to procure clothes and books, but that he also stood in need of money to obtain his intended degree, and to return to Sweden; and end ed with soliciting Linnaeus to point out some mode of relief. His friend had uniformly professed a sincere at tachment towards him, and now, being in a better situ ation than when they parted, he could lend him effec tual assistance. Seba, a learned apothecary of Amster dam, had recently requested the aid of Liniaeus him self in the publication of his Thesaurus, a well known work, which, he being engaged with other avocations, had declined. The part on which Seba was then occu pied, fortunately for Artedi, respected fishes, and Lin nxus introduced him as the most skilful ichthyologist of his time. Seba accordingly promised him a liberal recompence, and he immediately entered on preparing the third volume of the Thesaurus.