As soon as Grotius had passed his childhood, he was placed with Utengobard, an Arminian clergyman:  we shall see that this circumstance had a decisive influence upon his future life.  He retained a lasting regard for Utengobard, and a grateful recollection of his obligations to him.  At the age of twelve years, Grotius was sent to the university of Leyden, and committed to the care of Francis Junius.  Here, he distinguished himself so much by his diligence, his talents, and his modesty, as to obtain the notice and regard of several of the most famous scholars of the times.  Even Joseph Scaliger, equally distinguished by his learning and caustic arrogance, noticed him, and condescended to direct his studies.  He was scarcely eleven years of age when Douza, one of the princes of the republic of letters in those times, celebrated his praises in verse:  He declared that “he could scarcely believe that Erasmus promised so much as Grotius at his age:”  he announced that “Grotius would soon excel all his contemporaries, and bear a comparison with the most leaned of the antients.”

Grotius also gained the esteem of Barneveldt, the grand pensionary, in whose fate he was afterward involved.  In 1587, the Dutch sent Count Justin of Nassau and Barneveldt, at the head of an embassy, to Henry IV. of France.  Barneveldt permitted Grotius to accompany him.

[Sidenote:  His Birth and Education.]

Grotius had been preceded by his reputation.  He was known to M. de Busenval, the monarch’s ambassador in Holland.  Busenval described him favourably to the monarch.  Henry gave Grotius a gracious reception, and was so pleased with his conversation and demeanour, that he presented him with his picture and a golden chain.  Grotius gives an account of this embassy, in the seventh book of his Annals:  he abstains, with a praiseworthy modesty, from any mention of himself:  but, in one of his poems, he dwells with complacency on his having seen the monarch, “who owed his kingdom only to his valour”—­

        " ... Le Heros, qui regna sur la France,
        Et par droit de conquete et par droit de naissance.” 
                                VOLTAIRE, Henriade.

Grotius was so much pleased with his reception, and the present which he received from Henry, that he caused a print of himself, adorned with the chain presented to him by Henry, to be engraved.  He was introduced to many of the most distinguished persons at Paris:  there was one, whom he particularly esteemed, but whom, from some unexplained circumstance, he missed seeing.

[Sidenote:  Chap. 1. 1582-1597]