h leave to dispose of them, or sell them to the best
advantage: which was contrary to custom and law.

It was in 1633 that the States thus sought to repair the injuries which
Grotius had formerly suffered. Cornelius died unmarried. Peter,
Grotius's second son, was more like his father. In his infancy he was
very sickly: having received a hurt in his leg[748], the Surgeons and
Physicians treated it so ill, that he remained lame all his days. His
father, thinking his education would be cheaper in Holland than at
Paris, sent him to his native country. The young Grotius gave great
satisfaction to his parents, as we learn by a letter from Grotius to his
brother William[749], Oct. 4, 1630, "Your accounts of my son give me
great pleasure: if he goes on in the same manner, he will have reason to
be satisfied with me." Gerard Vossius directed his studies; and by a
letter[750] of thanks from Grotius to him, we learn that he was of an
indolent turn. "The exhortations you give Peter are worthy of the
friendship you have always entertained for me and mine. I cannot think
why my children should be so idle; perhaps it is because they see their
father's diligence has turned to so little account."

In 1634 Peter Grotius was sent to[751] Amsterdam to learn the use of the
globes and navigation: Grotius intended that he should afterwards serve
in some expedition at sea: he seems at this time to have designed him
for a Sailor. Peter had an inclination to learn Arabic under the learned
Golius at Leyden: but his Father would only suffer him to visit this
eminent professor, and consult him about the pronunciation of that
language, which he thought his son might learn without a master at his
leisure hours.

Grotius was desirous that his son should make a voyage to the
East-Indies[752], or, if that was too long a voyage, that he should go
to the Brasils, or some other part of America, to learn what was not to
be learnt at home, and might be of use to him afterwards.

Vossius, in the mean time, gave ample testimonials not only of Peter's
progress in the sciences, but also of his moral conduct. He wanted to
join, to the studies recommended to him by his father, that of Law; and
Grotius was not against it. He appears to have been somewhat uneasy
about what this youth would do: May 17, 1635, he writes to Vossius, "I
should be glad to know what my son's health will permit him to do, and
to what his inclination leads him: there are some things whic