FREDERIC, was a native of East Gothland, and born in the year 1722. He prosecuted his medical and botanical studies at Uplal. The great Linnaeus having represented in his lectures what important advantages might be gained by a young student, by travelling through the country of Palestine, at that time but little known, Hasselquist felt the fire of ambition burn within him at the declaration of his master. The crown giving no pecuniary encouragement for undertakings of this magnitude, extensive collections were made by private individuals, especially from the country of our author, and stipends were granted him by all the faculties in the university of Uplal.

Protected in this manner, he began his journey in 1749 during the summer season, and he obtained a passage to Smyrna in a Swedish East-Indian, through the influence of Lagerstroem. The Swedish consul at Smyrna received him in the most friendly manner, at which place he arrived about the latter end of the year. In the beginning of 1750 he set out for Egypt, and remained in the metropolis of that country for about nine months, from which place he transmitted to Linnaeus some specimens of his researches, which obtained the approbation of the public after they were published. By the influence of Dr Wargentin, a collection of 10,000 dollars of copper currency was made for the encouragement of young Hasselquist in the prosecution of his researches. In the spring of 1751, he passed through Jaffa to Jerusalem, and returned afterwards to Smyrna by the way of Rhodes and Scio, completely Hasselquist completely fulfilling the expectation of his country; but he did not live long enough to reap the fruits of his labours. His lungs were affected by the burning deserts of Arabia, and after languishing for some time in great distress, he expired in February 1752, before he had finished the 30th year of his age.

Having been under the necessity of contracting debt to the amount of 350l. all his collections were seized upon by the Turks, who threatened to expose them to sale; but Queen Louisa Ulrica redeemed them by the payment of 14,000 dollars of copper money, and they arrived at Stockholm in a state of excellent preservation. They were composed of Arabian manuscripts, shells, birds, serpents, insects, &c. An account of his voyage was published by Linnaeus, by whom his memory was honoured with a plant which he called Hafselquilia.