Here is M.Havard's account of Mr.Bos and an evening at his house: "Mr.Bos started in life as a farm-boy--then became an assistant in a shop.

Instead of spending his money at the beer-houses he purchased books.

He educated himself, and being provident, steady, industrious, he soon collected sufficient capital to start in business on his own account, which he did as a small cheesemonger; but in time his business prospered, and to such an extent that one day he awoke to find himself one of the greatest and richest merchants of Harlingen.
"Many under these circumstances would have considered rest was not undeserved; but Mr.Bos thought otherwise.

He became passionately fond of the arts.

Instead of purchasing stock he bought pictures, then the books necessary to understand them, and what with picking up an engraving here and a painting there he soon became possessed of a most interesting collection, and of an artistic knowledge sufficient for all purposes.