Черный тюльпан
Haarlem
Inthefirstplace,theblacktuliphadbeenproduced;secondly,thePrinceWilliamofOrange,asatrueHollander,hadpromisedtobepresentattheceremonyofitsinauguration;and,thirdly,itwasapointofhonourwiththeStatestoshowtotheFrench,attheconclusionofsuchadisastrouswarasthatof1672,thattheflooringoftheBatavianRepublicwassolidenoughforitspeopletodanceonit,withtheaccompanimentofthecannonoftheirfleets.
TheHorticulturalSocietyofHaarlemhadshownitselfworthyofitsfamebygivingahundredthousandguildersforthebulbofatulip.Thetown,whichdidnotwishtobeoutdone,votedalikesum,whichwasplacedinthehandsofthatnotablebodytosolemnisetheauspiciousevent.
AndindeedontheSundayfixedforthisceremonytherewassuchastiramongthepeople,andsuchanenthusiasmamongthetownsfolk,thatevenaFrenchman,wholaughsateverythingatalltimes,couldnothavehelpedadmiringthecharacterofthosehonestHollanders,whowereequallyreadytospendtheirmoneyfortheconstructionofaman-of-war—thatistosay,forthesupportofnationalhonour—astheyweretorewardthegrowthofanewflower,destinedtobloomforoneday,andtoserveduringthatdaytodiverttheladies,thelearned,andthecurious.
AttheheadofthenotablesandoftheHorticulturalCommitteeshoneMynheervanSystens,dressedinhisrichesthabiliments.
Theworthymanhaddonehisbesttoimitatehisfavouriteflowerinthesombreandsterneleganceofhisgarments;andweareboundtorecord,tohishonour,thathehadperfectlysucceededinhisobject.
