Christiaan Huygens – A family affair - Proeven van Vroeger

Constantijn’s objective – putting himself in the limelight as a modest man – was also
reflected in (the titles of) his major poetic works when his name as a poet was already
established. These works of the Stadholder’s secretary reflect his courtly standards and
anticipated public. His poetic volumes “Otia” (“empty hours”/”leisure,” 1625), “Momenta
Desultoria” (“idle moments,” 1644, republished 1655) and “Korenbloemen” (“cornflowers,”
ornaments on the acre of his true public work, 1658, republished 1672) all expressed their
almost effortless forthcoming and the lack of attachment of their composer to its quality.
Presenting his poems as compositions during “empty hours” of riding horseback, dressing or
finding his sleep, he appealed to the idea of the erudite, well-versed man of the world.
Furthermore,
[t]he nature of the creations fitted the gentleman who was positioned at the court too. 34 Firstly,
the lion’s share of his poems and music was consisted of compositions of small proportion. The
Pathodia [Constantijn Sr.’s set of musical compositions Pathodia Sacra et Profana, 1647] contained
exclusively short pieces, half of the Korenbloemen counted, in the last edition, epigrams and a
mere twelve out of fourteen books of the Latin Momenta Desultoria in the final print consisted of
epigrams. And above all that small work was refined. Presented with sprezzatura as careless
trifles for which he did not twist a hand, compact, intricate and intellectual, playing with words,
sounds and citations, they demonstrated great dexterity and cultural baggage. And they
required the same of the reader or listener. 35
A beloved statement of Huygens was that the title of “bad poet” seemed very much
appropriate to that of a “honnête homme,” 36 therewith expressing that he had no interest in being
34 This can be seen for instance in Samuel Sorbière’s mentioning of Constantijn Sr.’s Momenta desultoria
in: SORBIÈRE, S., MAURY, J., MORE, A. & HUYGENS, C. (1660) Relations, lettres, et discours de Mr
de Sorbiere, sur diuerses matieres curieuses, A Paris, Chez Robert de Ninuille rué de la Bouclerie au bout du
Pont S. Michel à l'Escu de France & de Nauarre., p144. Sorbière: “par-ce que l’Autheur [of the
Momenta, Constantijn Sr.] les auoit faites aux heures qu’il déroboit à ses occupations de la Cour, & qu’il
se pouuoit aller diuertir en cette belle maison de plaisance que le mesme Barlaeus nomma son Vitauliu,
d’vn mot plaisammant imaginé.”
35 From: HUYGENS, C. & BLOM, F. R. E. (2003) Mijn leven verteld aan mijn kinderen in twee boeken (De
vita propria sermonum inter liberos), Amsterdam, Prometheus., p9: translation of: “Ten eerste bestond het
merendeel van zijn gedichten en muziek uit composities van geringe omvang. De Pathodia bevatte
uitsluitend korte stukken, de Korenbloemen telde in de laatste druk voor de helft sneldichten en van de
Latijnstalige Momenta Desultoria bestonden in de laatste druk maar liefst twaalf van de veertien boeken
uit epigrammen. En bovenal was dat kleine werk verfijnd. Met sprezzatura gepresenteerd als achteloze
niemendalletjes waar hij de hand niet voor omdraaide, gave ze compact, doorwrocht en intellectueel,
spelend met woorden, klanken en citaten, blijk van groot vernuft en culturele bagage. En vergden ze
hetzelfde van de lezer of luisteraar.”
36 Ibid., p8
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