145 



ELEVENTH MEETING. 



Royal Institution. — March 20, 1854. 

 JOSEPH DICKINSON, M.D., F.L.S., &c., President, in the Chair. 



The Secretary annouuced that the Council had appointed Friday, 

 the 31st Maixh, at seven o'clock, to take into consideration, for the 

 second time, the subject of the union of the learned societies. 



Mr. Thomas Rigge was ballotted for, and duly elected an Ordinary- 

 Member. 



Dr. W. Ihne compared Horace's " Ode to Pyrrba" with its trans- 

 lation into English by Milton. 



The Rev. A. Fischei. read a paper on 



THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF JOOST VAN VONDEL. 



The United Pi'ovinces of the Netherlands are known in this country 

 chiefly in connection with the English revolution, and other political 

 events, in which they played a prominent part ; perhaps, also in con- 

 nection with the celebrated artists of the Flemish schools ; but little or 

 nothing is known of their literature. In the absence of any informa- 

 tion on the subject, it is thought that the Dutch, as a commercial 

 people, have paid but little attention to letters. Far from this being 

 the case, it may be shown that they have contributed more than their 

 share to European literature ; and, although principally devoted to 

 mercantile pursuits, have nevertheless produced poets, dramatists, 

 philologists, and philosophers, whose works may be placed among the 

 best productions of ancient or modern times. It is indeed a remarkable 

 fact tliat all commercial people have distinguished themselves by literary 

 genius. The ancient Greeks were as active in commerce as they 

 excelled in the arts; the English, though less imaginative than the 

 Germans, have nevertheless excelled them in literature; for, as Goethe* 

 remarks, " German literature is chiefly the off'spring of English 

 literature." Even the Americans, a people of recent birth, have 



• Coiivnrsatioii with Acltfiriiiniiii, vol. I.,ii. 181. 



