Черный тюльпан
The Tulip-fancier and his Neighbour
Heknewthestrengthofthecurrentofair,andtempereditsoastoadaptittothewaveofthestemsofhisflowers.Hisproductionsalsobegantomeetwiththefavourofthepublic.Theywerebeautiful,nay,distinguished.SeveralfanciershadcometoseeBoxtel’stulips.AtlasthehadevenstartedamongstalltheLinnaeusesandTournefortsatulipwhichborehisname,andwhich,afterhavingtravelledallthroughFrance,hadfounditswayintoSpain,andpenetratedasfarasPortugal;andtheKing,DonAlfonsoVI.—who,beingexpelledfromLisbon,hadretiredtotheislandofTerceira,whereheamusedhimself,not,likethegreatCondé,withwateringhiscarnations,butwithgrowingtulips—had,onseeingtheBoxteltulip,exclaimed,“Notsobad,byanymeans!”
Allatonce,CorneliusvanBaerle,who,afterallhislearnedpursuits,hadbeenseizedwiththetulipomania,madesomechangesinhishouseatDort,which,aswehavestated,wasnextdoortothatofBoxtel.Heraisedacertainbuildinginhiscourt-yardbyastory,whichshuttingoutthesun,tookhalfadegreeofwarmthfromBoxtel’sgarden,and,ontheotherhand,addedhalfadegreeofcoldinwinter;nottomentionthatitcutthewind,anddisturbedallthehorticulturalcalculationsandarrangementsofhisneighbour.
Afterall,thismishapappearedtoBoxtelofnogreatconsequence.VanBaerlewasbutapainter,asortoffoolwhotriedtoreproduceanddisfigureoncanvasthewondersofnature.Thepainter,hethought,hadraisedhisstudiobyastorytogetbetterlight,andthusfarhehadonlybeenintheright.
