as other
little states, produced one book that has become European, unless we
class among literary works the writings of Spinoza, the only great
philosopher of his country, or consider as Dutch literature the
forgotten Latin treatises of Erasmus of Rotterdam. Yet if there be a
country which by its nature and history suggests subjects to inspire
the mind to the production of such poetical works as appeal to the
imagination of all nations, that country is Holland. The marvellous
transformations of the land, the terrible inundations, the fabulous
maritime expeditions,--these ought to have given birth to a poem
powerful and original even when stripped of its native form. Why did
not this occur? The nature of the Dutch genius may be adduced as a
reason, which, aiming at utility in everything, wished to turn
literature also to a practical end. Another tendency, the opposite of
this, though, perhaps derived from it, is that of soaring high above
human nature to avoid treading on the ground with the mass; a
weariness of genius which gave to judgment the ascendency over the
imagination; an innate love of all that was precise and finished,
which resulted in a prolixity in which grand ideas were diluted; the
spirit of the religious sects, which enchained within a narrow circle
talents created to survey a vast horizon. But neither these nor other
reasons can keep one from wondering that there should not be one
writer of Dutch literature who worthily represents to the world the
greatness of his country--a name to be placed between Rembrandt and
Spinoza.

However, it would be a mistake to overlook at least the three
principal figures of Dutch literature, two of whom belong to the
seventeenth and one to the nineteenth century--three original poets
who differ widely from each other, but represent in themselves Dutch
poetry in its entirety: Vondel, Catz, and Bilderdijk.

[Illustration: The Vyver, The Hague.]

Vondel, the greatest poet Holland has produced, was born in 1587 at
Cologne, where his father, a hatmaker, had taken refuge, having fled
from Antwerp to escape from the Spanish persecutions. While still a
child the future poet returned to his country on a barrow, together
with his father and mother, who followed him on foot, praying and
reciting verses from the Bible. His studies began at Amsterdam. At
fifteen years of age he was already renowned as a poet, but his
celebrated works date from 1620. At the age of thirty he knew o