did not regret the time his Son had passed in France.  “The time Peter has been here, he says to his brother[759], was not lost either for him or me:  for he has learnt several useful things, and it has been a great pleasure to me to communicate what I have learnt to one of my children, or at least to have put him in a way of informing himself.  I recommend him to you, and would beg of you to give him such exercises as may fit him to hold a distinguished rank amonst the Orators and Advocates, that his merit may silently reproach the Dutch for what they did against his Father.  But, above all things, I would recommend to you the cultivation of those sentiments of piety which I have instilled into him, and to keep him from bad company.”

Grotius wrote to Vossius[760], when his Son set out on his return to Holland, begging of him to continue to watch over the studies of this youth; and assuring him at the same time, that the friendship, which the city of Amsterdam preserved for him, was the only reason which induced him to consent that any part of him should live in a country where he had been so ill-treated.

Vossius and William Grotius were highly satisfied with Peter Grotius, and made great encomiums on him to his father, who wrote to his son, commending his diligence in the study of the Law.  He informed him at the same time of a successful method of pleading, which he himself had formerly used with advantage.  We have spoken of it elsewhere[761].  He was desirous of settling him as soon as possible at Amsterdam, that he might learn navigation and commerce, the municipal laws of the town, and whatever might contribute to raise his fortune.  He wanted to accustom him to a labour, by which he might live without his father’s assistance.  “If he thinks, says Grotius to his brother[762], to make his fortune with what money he will get from me, he is greatly deceived:  let him do as I did, and cut out a path for himself; otherwise he must not count upon my liberality.”  April 21, 1640, he caused him to be chid[763] for running about too much, and for his learning Italian and several things for which he had little occasion.  “That is not the way, says he, to please me, nor to be useful to himself.”

In fine, Peter Grotius began to plead at the Hague, in[764] spring 1640.  There was a prospect at that time of getting him made Pensionary of Boisleduc:  this design required some money, which Grotius refused not to advance; but he could scarce believe that the Prince of Orange would consent to have his son in this place, unless he abjured Arminianism.  Besides, Peter Grotius had so little experience in the law, that his father did not yet think him capable of filling a place, the difficulties of which he knew by experience:  he would much rather have had his son go to Amsterdam, to follow the bar, and seek some advantageous match, that his children might one day enter into the magistracy of a city, which alone kept alive expiring liberty.