They say he was a moody, ill-conditioned man, the old tenant of the mill.  What does he think of the “Vander Helst” which hangs opposite his “Night-watch,” and which is one of the great pictures of the world?  It is not painted by so great a man as Rembrandt; but there it is—­to see it is an event of your life.  Having beheld it you have lived in the year 1648, and celebrated the treaty of Munster.  You have shaken the hands of the Dutch Guardsmen, eaten from their platters, drunk their Rhenish, heard their jokes, as they wagged their jolly beards.  The Amsterdam Catalogue discourses thus about it:—­a model catalogue:  it gives you the prices paid, the signatures of the painters, a succinct description of the work.

“This masterpiece represents a banquet of the civic guard, which took place on the 18th June, 1648, in time great hall of the St. Joris Doele, on the Singel at Amsterdam, to celebrate the conclusion of the Peace at Munster.  The thirty-five figures composing the picture are all portraits.

“‘The Captain WITSE’ is placed at the head of the table, and attracts our attention first.  He is dressed in black velvet, his breast covered with a cuirass, on his head a broad-brimmed black hat with white plumes.  He is comfortably seated on a chair of black oak, with a velvet cushion, and holds in his left hand, supported on his knee, a magnificent drinking-horn, surrounded by a St. George destroying the dragon, and ornamented with olive-leaves.  The captain’s features express cordiality and good-humor; he is grasping the hand of ‘Lieutenant Van WAVERN’ seated near him, in a habit of dark gray, with lace and buttons of gold, lace-collar and wristbands, his feet crossed, with boots of yellow leather, with large tops, and gold spurs, on his head a black hat and dark-brown plumes.  Behind him at the centre of the picture, is the standard-bearer, ‘Jacob Banning,’ in an easy martial attitude, hat in hand, his right hand on his chair, his right leg on his left knee.  He holds the flag of blue silk, in which the Virgin is embroidered, (such a silk! such a flag! such a piece of painting!) emblematic of the town of Amsterdam.  The banner covers his shoulder, and he looks towards the spectator frankly and complacently.

“The man behind him is probably one of the sergeants.  His head is bare.  He wears a cuirass, and yellow gloves, gray stockings, and boots with large tops, and kneecaps of cloth.  He has a napkin on his knees, and in his hand a piece of ham, a slice of bread, and a knife.  The old man behind is probably ‘William the drummer.’  He has his hat in his right hand, and in his left a gold-footed wineglass, filled with white wine.  He wears a red scarf, and a black satin doublet, with little slashes of yellow silk.  Behind the drummer, two matchlock-men are seated at the end of the table.  One in a large black habit, a napkin on his knee, a hausse-col of iron, and a linen scarf and collar.