Hendrik Smeeks and Simon Tyssot de Patot, were - Historisch ...

HENDRIK SMEEKS AND SIMON TYSSOT DE PATOT-
WERE THEY FRIENDS?
DOOR AUBREY ROSENBERG (M. A., PH. D.)
Hendrik Smeeks (1639?-1721) and Simon Tyssot de Patot (1655-1738)
both lived for many years in the province of Overijssel. Smeeks lived in
Zwolle and practised as a surgeon, and Tyssot lived in nearby Deventer,
at that time the provincial capital, and taught mathematics at the
Illustre School.' Both Smeeks and Tyssot are remembered today as
writers of Imaginary Voyages. Smeeks published, in 1708, the Beschryvinge
van het magtig koningrijk Krinke Kesmes? Tyssot published,
some time between 1714 and 1717, the Voyages et avantures de Jaques
Massé and, in 1720, the Voyage de Groenland:"
1 There has been no definitive biography of Hendrik Smeeks but useful information
is available in J. C. van Slee, "De Auteur van Krinke Kesmes", Tijdschrift
voor Geschiedenis, XLIV (1929), 40-56; G. J. Hoogewerff, "De persoonsgelijkheid
van Hendrik Smeeks en Exquemelin", Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, XLVII
(1932), 113-124; L. C. Vrijman, "De kwestie, 'Wie was Exquemelin?' volledig
opgelost", Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis, XLVII (1932), 124-128; L. C. Vrijman,
"Eenige opmerkingen betreffende Smeeks' 'Magtig koningrijk Krinke Kesmes' en
de verschillende eerste uitgaven van Exquemelins werk", Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis,
XLVIII (1933), 162-167; W. H. Staverman, "Henrik Smeeks, chirurgijn te
Zwolle", Overijssel Jaarboek voor cultuur en historie, IV (1950), 81-94; C. L.
Thijssen-Schoute, Nederlands Cartesianisme, Amsterdam, 1954, 622-626. Information
concerning the life of Tyssot de Patot is available in G. Lanson, "Simon
Tyssot de Patot et ses Voyages de Jacques Massé?', Revue des cours et contérenees,
XVII (déc. 1908), 259-271; J. C. van Siee, "Simon Tyssot de Patot",
Nieuw Theologisch Tijdschrift, V (1916), 26-53. This article was translated into
French and published in the Revue du XVIIIe siècle, IV (jan-juin 1917), 200-219;
P. Valkhoff, "De wonderbaarlike reizen van Simon Tyssot de Patot", De Gids, II
(1931), 239-260. This article, slightly augmented, was included as a chapter of
Valkhoff's Ontmoetingen tussen Nederlanden en Frankrijk, 's-Gravenhage, 1943,
99-120; D. R. McKee, Simon Tyssot de Patat and the Seventeenth-Century Background
of Critical Deism, Baltimore, 1941; C. L. Thijssen-Schoute, op. cit., 640-
642. The most recent biography of Tyssot will be found in my book, Tyssot de
Patat and his work (1655-1738), published by M. Nijhoff, The Hague 1972, in the
series International Archives of the History of Ideas, vol. 47.
2 For details of this book and for discussion of the controversy surrounding
it see P. B. Gove, The Imaginary Voyage in Prose Fiction, New York, '1941,211-
216. Gove's book has been reprinted by The Holland Press, London, 1961.
3 Although the title-pages of four editions of the Voyages et avantures de
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In her magisterial book, Nederlands Cartesianisme, the late C. L. Thijssen-Schaute,
in discussing the work of Tyssot de Patat, stated that he
and Smeeks were friends. Lacking external evidence, she based this
assumption entirely on certain references to a man called Smeenk in
Tyssot's Lettres choisies.' and in the Voyage de Groenland. As far as I
know, no one has questioned Dr. Thijssen-Schoute's conclusion that
Tyssot's friend Smeenk and Hendrik Smeeks were one and the same.
person. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to reopen the question.
What I hope to show is that while it is possible that Smeenk and Smeeks
were one and the same, it is equally possible that they were two different
people. In short, my conclusion will be that, on the evidence
available, we are unable to determine whether Tyssot de Patat and
Hendrik Smeeks were friends or not.
It should be noted, from the outset, that the difference in the spelling
of the names in no way affects the validity of Dr. Thijssen-Schoute's
assumption, since Smeek's name enjoyed a very varied orthographical
career and was' just as likely to appear as Smeekens, Smeeck, Smeek,
Smeink or Smekes 5 although, as far as I know, it was never written as
Smeenk which was the spelling used consistently by Tyssot in referring
to his friend.
Let us consider, first, the evidence of the Lettres choisies. In letter
Jaques Massé bear the date 1710, there are grounds for believing that the first
edition was published between 1714 and 1717. For a discussion of this dating see
my article, "The Voyages et avantures de Jaques Massé and the problem of the
first edition", Australian Journal of French Studies, No.3, 1970. For further
bibliographical information see Gove, op. cit., 217-219.
The full title of Tyssot's Greenland novel is La Vie, les avantures, et le voyage
de Groenland du Révérend Pere Cordelier Pierre de Mesange. Avec une relation
bien circonstanciée de l'origine, de l'histoire, des moeurs, et du paradis des
habitans du pole arctique, Amsterdam, Etienne Roger, 1720, 2 vol. in 1. For
further bibliographical information on this novel see also Gove, 235-236 and the
relevant chapter in my book.
4 Lettres choisies de Mr. Simon Tyssot de Patot; Professeur ordinaire en
mathématiques dans l'Ecole Illustre de Deventer en Over-Yssel. Ecrites depuis sa
jeunesse jusqu'à un âge fort avancé, à différentes personnes, et sur toutes sortes
de sujets, La Haye, Matthieu Roguet, 1727, 2 vol.
5 All these spellings are reproduced by Thijssen-Schoute, op cit., 624-626.
The autograph, Smekes, also appears on a document signed by Smeeks, in 1707,
in his capacity as a member of the surgeons' guild of Amsterdam. The document,
IV A 18 6 , is in the Handschriften department of the Universiteitsbibliotheek,
Amsterdam.
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97

32, 6 the name of Smeenk is coupled with that of someone called
Berent. However, there is nothing in the letter to indicate their relationship.
Since Hendrik Smeeks had a son called Berent, Dr. Thijssen-
Schoute took the reference in Tyssot's letter to be evidence that Smeenk
must be Hendrik Smeeks." Now we know that Hendrik Smeeks' son
Berent was born in 1691. It would be helpful, therefore, if we could
find out when letter 32 was written. If it were written before 1691, the
Berent referred to could not be the son of Hendrik Smeeks. If it were
written after 1691, the evidence, though not conclusive, would speak
in favour of Dr. Thijssen-Schoute's assumption.
But here we face a problem in that the correspondence is undated
and the letters do not conform to a strictly chronological sequence.
That this was a deliberate policy is explained in the Avertissement to
the Lettres choisies where Tyssot stated that it was pointless to arrange,
in any strict order, these letters, "où il n'est nullement question d'histoire,
ni de chronologie, et où il n'est fait mention d'aucun événement
digne de remarque que l'on ne trouve dans les Mercures ou journaux".
Tyssot also claimed to have purposelyvaried the order of the letters
so as to entertain the mature reader with a diversity of subject matter
and style and to "donner aux jeunes un modèle de lettres". Tyssot,
nevertheless, intended the letters to serve as his biography and told the
reader that if he took the trouble to read them through carefully, he
would find "en abrégé, l'histoire de la vie d'un particulier".
The problem is to decide how reliable these letters are as biographical
material. According to Baumgarten," they have some value if one
bears in mind that many parts of the Lettres choisies are pure fabrication.
Dr. Thijssen-Schoute, on the other hand, found them quite
unacceptab1e for this purpose, not only because they are not dated but
also because some of the letters give the impression of having been
revised for publication." My own investigation of the letters has led me
6 Since there are many inaccuracies and typographical errors in the numbering
of the letters, I shall supply, in addition, the relevant page numbers. All the letters
cited are from the first volume. The references to Smeenk and Berent are found
on pages 153 and 154.
7 Thijssen-Schoute, op. cit., 640.
8 S. J. Baumgarten, Nachrichten von einer hallischen bibliothek, Halle, 1748-
1751, 4 vol., vol. III, 135-136.
9 Thijssen-Schoute, op. cit., 640.
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to conclude that, for the most part, they are quite reliable as a source
of biographical information. Although the letters are not in strict
chronological order many contain clues as to their date of composition.
It may be objected that these clues could have been deliberately inserted
to mislead the reader. For this reason I have, wherever possible, sought
external confirmation in dating the letters.t?
Letter 32, the one that contains the reference to Berent, is one of a
group of three letters written by Tyssot to one of his military friends,
Captain du Mainon, who was garrisoned at Zutphen in the neighbouring
province of Gelderland. The other two letters of the group are
22 and 24. Letter 22 11 refers to the desire of the Zutphen magistracy
to interview, for their Church, a M. des Touches who was a French
pastor at Deventer. Tyssot, says, in the letter, that he and two of his
friends (one of whom will be identified as Smeenk in letter 24) intend
to accompany des Touches to Zutphen. Now we know, from external
evidence, that in 1686 the Zutphen magistracy were looking for a
pastor. On April 13th they invited Samuel Basnage to establish a
church in Zutphen. On April 24th the synod finally ratified his appointment."
Des Touches must have been one of the unsuccessful candidates
interviewed for this position. I conclude, therefore, that letter 22 was
written before April 13th 1686. This letter ends with a brief reference
to the death of one of Tyssot's children and of his father. Now one of
his children, Jacques Barthélemy, died on December 12th 1685 and
his father died on March 11th 1686.13I conclude, therefore, that letter
22 was written some time between March 11th and April 13th 1686.
Letter 24,l4 the second of the group of three, is one that Dr. Thijssen-
Schaute seems to have overlooked. It describes the aforementioned
visit to Zutphen of des Touches, Tyssot and his friends, one of whom
is now identified as Smeenk. In this letter, Tyssot, in his inimitable
10 A guide to the chronology of the Lettres choisies is available in Appendix
D of my book.
11 Pp. 90-91.
12 See M. F. H. Gagnebin, "Listes des églises wallonnes des Pays-Bas et des
pasteurs qui les ont desservies", Bulletin de la commission pour ['histoire des
Eglises Wallonnes, III (1888), 340.
13 This information is available in a history of the family written by one of
Tyssot's nephews. The manuscript is in the possession of Dr. P. N. Tissot van
Patot.
14 Pp. 97-101.
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99

way, thanks du Mainon for his hospitality. The letter was clearly written
soon after the visit, certainly some time in 1686.
Letter 32 refers to the time, "lorsque je vous allai voir avec notre
Domine des Touches". This is the letter that couples the names of
Smeenk and Berent. It was obviously written after letters 22 and 24 but
the problem is to decide how long after. Was it a few weeks, a few
months or even several years? Because of the reference to the Des
Touches visit, it seems to me that there is prima facie evidence for
placing this letter in the same period as the other two. My inclination
is to date it in 1686 or, at the latest, 1687. If this dating is correct, the
Berent named in the letter could not have been Hendrik Smeeks' son
who, as we have seen, was not born until 1691. It does not follow from
this, of course, that Smeenk was not Smeeks but it does seem less
likely.
Had Dr. Thijssen-Schoute not overlooked letter 24 she might have
found some support for her argument. In this letter, Tyssot refers to
Smeenk's profession as that of a "Maître Savonnier". At first glance it
is difficult to see what connection there could be between this occupation
and that of a surgeon. We must remember, however, that at that
time surgeons were also barbers. If we accept, for the moment, that
Smeeks and Smeenk were the same person, it is possible to infer, from
the jocular tone of the letter, that Tyssot was having fun at his friend's
expense by suggesting he was much better at lathering faces than he
was at performing surgical operations. We could go even further by
noting that it would be entirely in keeping with Tyssot's Rabelaisian
sense of humour if the expression "Maître Savonnier" were intended to
imply that Smeenk had a. penchant for administering enemas. On the
other hand, if we interpret the expression literally, if Smeenk really
were involved in the manufacture of soap, this letter would be very
damaging to Dr. Thijssen-Schoute's argument.
Letter 97/ 5 the fourth and final letter having reference to Smeenk,
was probably written in 1691 since it deals with Tyssot's unsuccessful
application to the Amsterdam Athenaeum for the position of mathematics
professor, a post that was vacant owing to the death of Alexander
de Bie in 1690.1 6 The letter mentions that Smeenk had encouraged
15 Pp, 500-506. Thijssen-Schoute, op. cit., 642, note 1, incorrectly refers to
this letter as 107.
16 For further details of Alexander de Bie (1620-1690), see P. C. Molhuysen
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Tyssot to apply for the post. There is nothing in this letter that offers
any clue as to the identity of Smeenk.
In the Voyage de Groenland there is a reference to someone:
... qui était, si je ne me trompe, du côté de Gueldre, et qui
s'appellait Monsieur Smeenk, auquel je donnai quelques leçons
de géométrie. . . La seule raison qui me porta à cela fut que,
nonobstant la peine que le pauvre garçon se donnait, il ne
pouvait comprendre une proposition un peu difficile, ou qui
renfermait plusieurs rapports; et que son Maître lui reprochait
souvent devant ses camarades la dureté de sa conception lorsqu'il
avouait ingénuement qu'il ne l'entendait pas, ou qu'il le priait
plus d'une fois d'en venir à une répétition."
Dr. Thijssen-Schoute took this to be a further reference to Hendrik
Smeeks. But, if Tyssot and Smeeks were friendly, why could not the
reference apply equally well to his son Berent? The difficulty here is
how to interpret the tone of the passage. Tyssot writes of Smeenk as
though he were dead or, at least, as if he were no longer a friend. Is
the tone jocular or was there some disagreement between the two men
that led to this unflattering portrayal? If Smeenk were no longer alive
this would fit in with the absence of any reference to him in the Lettres
choisies after 1691. But Hendrik- Smeeks, the.surgeon, lived until 1721
and the Voyage de Groenland was published in 1720. If Smeeks and
Smeenk were one and the same, why did Tyssot suggest that Smeenk
was "du côté de Gueldre" when, as far as is known, Hendrik Smeeks
came from Overijssel?
In short, while nothing I have discussed really invalidates the proposition
that Tyssot's friend Smeenk and Hendrik Smeeks were one and
the same, there is no clear evidence, other than the similarity of names,
to support this assumption. The fact that both Smeeks and Tyssot wrote
Imaginary Voyages of a utopian and satirical nature attests to the popularity
of the genre rather than to any personal relationship between the
two men. The fact that they both displayed their literary abilities
through the use of digressions suggests only that Tyssot may have read
and P. J. Blok, Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek, Leiden, 1911-1937,
10 vol., vol. X, 64-65.
17 Vol. I, 23-24.
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Smeeks' novel." Therefore, until further evidence is available, we have
nô more reason for supposing that Smeeks and Tyssot were friends than
we have for supposing that Tyssot, at one stage in his life, had a friend
called Smeenk, a soap maker by profession, who lived in Gelderland
and who had no connection with Hendrik Smeeks of Zwolle.
18 Both Smeeks and Tyssot incorporated many irrelevant digressions into
their work. Smeeks devoted fewer than half the 286 pages of his novel to a
description of the utopian society. Almost a hundred pages are taken up with a
robinsonade episode. Other digressions include a dissertation on the treatment of
scurvy, a discussion of currents in the waters around The Netherlands, and a
prescription for the treatment of drunkenness. For details on Tyssot's use of
digressive techniques, see my article, "Digressions in Imaginary Voyages" in The
Varied Pattern, A. M. Hakkert, Amsterdam and Toronto, 1971.
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