ead with pleasure, he says, what you have done on the
Decalogue: the maxims are excellent, and the verses easy."

William had his brother's confidence during his whole life. Grotius
writes to him from Paris, April 14, 1622, "You are never weary of
assisting me under my afflictions: if ever fortune enables me to testify
my gratitude, I will forgive her all the tricks she has played me." He
was desirous, in the end of the year 1622, that his brother should
settle his matters so, as to come to see him in the beginning of the
following year; but this journey did not take place. Grotius's disgrace
affected his brother: he despaired of attaining to honours, and Grotius
advised him to think only of raising himself by the study of the Law.

In April 1623 he married Alida Grasvinkel. About this time a Dutchman
was seized at Lillo, with letters from William Grotius to his brother.
It was expected that something would be found in them against the State,
and they talked of nothing less than imprisoning him; but
notwithstanding the malice of his enemies, they could not find the least
pretext from these letters to trouble him. In the mean time William
followed the profession of an Advocate with much success: Grotius
compliments him on it in a letter of the 28th of November, 1625, in
which he tells him, that the life he led in shining at the bar was much
more agreeable than that which is spent in public employments.

William Grotius wrote about this time the lives of the Advocates, under
the title of _Vitae Jurisconsultorum quorum in Pandectis exstant nomina,
conscriptae a Gulielmo Grotio Jurisconsulto Delphensi_. He sent this book
to his brother, who writes to him that he read it with pleasure, and was
delighted to see a work which demonstrated his brother's genius,
learning, and good sense.

William Grotius, whose marriage had prevented his going to France to see
his brother, went thither however in 1629: he returned again to Holland.
William being desirous to have his brother's picture, Hugo had the
complaisance to sit for it, and send it to him. The enmity of the
Magistrates was still so violent at this time, that William made a
mystery of this picture; in which Grotius thought he acted very
prudently. In 1638 there was a talk of making William Grotius Pensionary
of Delft. The conditions on which the place was offered did not suit
him, and he declined it. This refusal was approved of by Grotius; for he
writes to him, March 13,