But to appreciate the virtue (the term is not too strong) of this aimable man, one should know the difficulties he had to surmount before gaining his position.

It is no joke when one lives in a town like Harlingen to act differently from other people.

Tongues are as well hung there as in any small French town.

Instead of encouraging this brave collector, they laughed at and ridiculed him.

His taste for the arts was regarded as a mania.