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produced some excellent poets. So also did the Dutch, at the time 

 of their mercantile supremacy, excel in literature; whilst, with the 

 decline of their commerce, their genius decayed. That their authors 

 have obtained so little celebrity seems principally to be owing to 

 their national language, which is hardly known beyond the borders 

 of Holland. Those who composed their works in Latin have met with 

 better success ; and the names of Grotius, Erasmus, Buxtorf, and a 

 host of others, have even obtained a world-^-ide reputation. Tliere are, 

 however, subjects which, being intended for the people, can be written 

 in the national language only ; such as the drama, epic, and satire. 

 In this class of literature the Dutch have many productions not only 

 of national interest, but of a literary significance also ; especially those 

 of their greatest poet Joost Van Vondel, whose life and writings form 

 the more immediate subject of this paper. 



Joost Van Vondel was born at Cologne in the sixteenth, and lived 

 during the greater part of the seventeenth century. It was an era 

 favourable to the development of genius, — an age of great men and 

 of great events. The world, long pregnant with religious conflict and 

 political disaffection, was giving birth to new ideas and new principles. 

 Liberty of conscience was no more claimed as a favour, but as a right ; 

 and self-government began to encroach on the privileges of monarchs. 

 The layman began to doubt the infallibility of his priest, and the sub- 

 ject the divine right of his king. The old system was effete, and 

 new principles, long suppressed by antiquated authority, began with 

 great violence to rush into existence. In England, king and law were 

 contending for supremacy, and events were ripening on the continent 

 which made the Emperor of Austria bow submissively to the king 

 of a petty country ; whilst in the Netherlands, the reaction of conquered 

 tyranny was severely felt in the excesses of a violent democracy. 

 Whether such events call forth great men, or whether the latter call 

 forth those events, it is difficult to decide ; but, seeing that at every 

 emergency numbers of great men arise, it will not be hazardous to 

 suppose that in troublous epochs, much genius is called into action 

 which would otherwise have remained dormant. In ordinary times 

 Cromwell might have remained the humble member of an obscure con- 

 stituency, and Gustavus Adolphus unacknowledged "Majesty" among 

 monarchs. Stirring events likewise caU forth the power of the pen, 

 and many an excellent composition we owe to the passing events 

 of the day. So much is certain, that the political condition of his 

 country called forth some of the best of Vondel's productions. 



There was nothing, either in the position or in the education of our 



