![]() Not for the prize, not for the glory, but for the chance to introduce such a flower into the world. When the Haarlem Tulip Society offered a prize for the first black tulip presented to them, Cornelius set to work. He studied them, so that he could grow the very best flowers and develop new varieties. The story moves to Cornelius van Baerle, a wealthy young man who lived quietly in the country and devoted his life to his tulips. The opening chapters of the story were a little more difficult to follow than I had expected, but I kept going because it was Dumas, because I understood that this was real history, because I knew there would be tulips, because I had read much that was positive about this book, and because I’d had in mind for my 100 Years of Books for quite some time. The two brothers were lynched by an angry mob early on their journey to their place of exile. The authorities, and William of Orange in particular, wanted rid of the troublesome pair and so they manipulated the situation. He was guilty but he was safe in the knowledge that the evidence was safely hidden. Cornelius had been tortured in the hope that he would confess to plotting with the French king, but he said not a word. In 1672, Cornelius and Johan de Witt, brothers and prominent citizens of Holland were charged with treason and sentenced to exile. ![]() So whoever despised the tulip offends God immeasurably.’ The tulip is the loveliest of all flowers. The lovelier the flower, the greater the offence in despising it. ‘Contempt for flowers is an offence against God. ![]()
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