The Happy Man makes Acquaintance with Misfortune

           CorneliusdeWitt,afterhavingattendedtohisfamilyaffairs,reachedthehouseofhisgodson,CorneliusvanBaerle,oneeveninginthemonthofJanuary,1672.

           DeWitt,althoughbeingverylittleofahorticulturistorofanartist,wentoverthewholemansion,fromthestudiotothegreen-house,inspectingeverything,fromthepicturesdowntothetulips.Hethankedhisgodsonforhavingjoinedhimonthedeckoftheadmiral’sship“TheSevenProvinces,”duringthebattleofSouthwoldBay,andforhavinggivenhisnametoamagnificenttulip;andwhilsthethus,withthekindnessandaffabilityofafathertoason,visitedVanBaerle’streasures,thecrowdgatheredwithcuriosity,andevenrespect,beforethedoorofthehappyman.

           AllthishubbubexcitedtheattentionofBoxtel,whowasjusttakinghismealbyhisfireside.Heinquiredwhatitmeant,and,onbeinginformedofthecauseofallthisstir,climbeduptohispostofobservation,whereinspiteofthecold,hetookhisstand,withthetelescopetohiseye.

           Thistelescopehadnotbeenofgreatservicetohimsincetheautumnof1671.Thetulips,liketruedaughtersoftheEast,aversetocold,donotabideintheopengroundinwinter.Theyneedtheshelterofthehouse,thesoftbedontheshelves,andthecongenialwarmthofthestove.VanBaerle,therefore,passedthewholewinterinhislaboratory,inthemidstofhisbooksandpictures.Hewentonlyrarelytotheroomwherehekepthisbulbs,unlessitweretoallowsomeoccasionalraysofthesuntoenter,byopeningoneofthemovablesashesoftheglassfront.