Jan van Vliet
Encyclopedia
Jan van Vliet also known as Janus Ulitius, was one of the 17th century pioneers of Germanic
philology
.
Van Vliet was probably born in Middelburg, but grew up in The Hague
. From 1637 to about 1641 he studied at Leiden University
, where he read first classics
and then law. After completing his studies, he went on a grand tour
, travelling in Britain and France, where he collected material for his first publication, the Venatio novantiqua (1645), an edition of Latin
poetry on the subject of hunting. He also kept a diary of his travels, which testifies to his having been fluent in six languages at the time.
On his return to the Netherlands in 1643, Van Vliet began to practice as a lawyer, and the following year he married. His legal career was not a great success, and after some years he left the capital and took up residence in Breda
. Here he achieved some measure of prosperity, ultimately becoming the town registrar under the patronage of the house of Orange.
In the 1650s, his two great interests, ancient languages and the history of the Netherlands
, led him to begin to study the histories of first the Dutch language
, and then the Germanic languages
in general. This was not a popular field of study at the time, the historical languages deemed most worthy of academic attention being Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This shift in interests led to some tension between Van Vliet and several of his old friends, who were not best pleased to see a man they esteemed as a Latinist turn to study lesser things; a letter survives from Nicholas Heinsius, who had been a fellow student at Leiden, addressed "to Ulitius, the authority on antiquities both barbarian and scholarly", a veiled criticism which appears not to have gone unnoticed. Despite this tacit disapproval, however, Van Vliet began to study ancient books and manuscripts in various Germanic languages, including English.
It was in 1659 that he began to correspond regularly with his more famous contemporary Franciscus Junius
, who was then resident in England, but visiting the Netherlands frequently. Their common interest in the study and collection of manuscripts led them to become firm friends, and Van Vliet appears to have made considerable use of Junius' library in his studies in his final years.
Van Vliet died in Breda in March 1666. He had run up considerable debts towards the end of his life, and as a result many of his possessions were auctioned at The Hague to pay these off; these included his library, which according to the auction catalogue contained some 1,249 books, including eight manuscripts. At least one of these was purchased by Junius: this was the unique manuscript of the Ormulum
. It is as the first known owner of this manuscript in modern times that Van Vliet is primarily remembered today.
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
.
Van Vliet was probably born in Middelburg, but grew up in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. From 1637 to about 1641 he studied at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
, where he read first classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and then law. After completing his studies, he went on a grand tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
, travelling in Britain and France, where he collected material for his first publication, the Venatio novantiqua (1645), an edition of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
poetry on the subject of hunting. He also kept a diary of his travels, which testifies to his having been fluent in six languages at the time.
On his return to the Netherlands in 1643, Van Vliet began to practice as a lawyer, and the following year he married. His legal career was not a great success, and after some years he left the capital and took up residence in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
. Here he achieved some measure of prosperity, ultimately becoming the town registrar under the patronage of the house of Orange.
In the 1650s, his two great interests, ancient languages and the history of the Netherlands
History of the Netherlands
The history of the Netherlands is the history of a maritime people thriving on a watery lowland river delta at the edge of northwestern Europe. When the Romans and written history arrived in 57 BC, the country was sparsely populated by various tribal groups at the periphery of the empire...
, led him to begin to study the histories of first the Dutch language
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, and then the Germanic languages
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
in general. This was not a popular field of study at the time, the historical languages deemed most worthy of academic attention being Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This shift in interests led to some tension between Van Vliet and several of his old friends, who were not best pleased to see a man they esteemed as a Latinist turn to study lesser things; a letter survives from Nicholas Heinsius, who had been a fellow student at Leiden, addressed "to Ulitius, the authority on antiquities both barbarian and scholarly", a veiled criticism which appears not to have gone unnoticed. Despite this tacit disapproval, however, Van Vliet began to study ancient books and manuscripts in various Germanic languages, including English.
It was in 1659 that he began to correspond regularly with his more famous contemporary Franciscus Junius
Franciscus Junius (the younger)
Franciscus Junius , also known as François du Jon, was a pioneer of Germanic philology. As a collector of ancient manuscripts, he published the first modern editions of a number of important texts.-Life:...
, who was then resident in England, but visiting the Netherlands frequently. Their common interest in the study and collection of manuscripts led them to become firm friends, and Van Vliet appears to have made considerable use of Junius' library in his studies in his final years.
Van Vliet died in Breda in March 1666. He had run up considerable debts towards the end of his life, and as a result many of his possessions were auctioned at The Hague to pay these off; these included his library, which according to the auction catalogue contained some 1,249 books, including eight manuscripts. At least one of these was purchased by Junius: this was the unique manuscript of the Ormulum
Ormulum
The Ormulum or Orrmulum is a twelfth-century work of biblical exegesis, written by a monk named Orm and consisting of just under 19,000 lines of early Middle English verse...
. It is as the first known owner of this manuscript in modern times that Van Vliet is primarily remembered today.