VOLGH-LUST (expr.)
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ende overmids onsen volgh-lust altemet door een heymelicke nijdigheyd, altemet door een rechtvaerdighe verwonderingh gaende ghemaeckt wordt, soo plaght oock het ghene wy met den hooghsten yver naeiaeghen, sijne hooghste volmaecktheyd vroegh te bekomen. Maer dan valt het ons heel swaer by die volmaecktheyd te blijven; ghemerckt eenigh dingh nae den ghemeynen loop der nature plagt te deynsen, als het niet meer voord en kan.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] The emulation cherishes the minds, he says {…}, and while our desire to imitate is activated either because of secretive annoyance, or because of a justified amazement, as such that which we chase after with the greatest diligence tends to obtain its highest perfection early on. But then it is very hard on us to keep up with this perfection, seen that a thing tends to recoil to the usual flow of nature, if it cannot move forward anymore.
Junius discusses the origin of ‘aemulatie’ (emulation). He uses ‘(nae)volgh(ens)lust’ as equivalent for ‘aemulatie’. Emulation can either have a negative origin, which he describes as secretive annoyance or envy, or a positive one, described as ‘verwondering’ (amazement). It is furthermore of interest that Junius mentions the consequences of emulation: reaching perfection (‘volmaaktheid’), which might be difficult to keep up. [MO]
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Quotation
Alhoewel nu d’oude Konstenaers buyten twijfel door de hitte haeres volgh-lusts en door d’onverdraeghelicke onwederstaenlicke prickelen des naer-yvers krachtighlick tot een gantsch ernstighe oeffeninghe deser Konsten aengedreven wierden, nochtans moghen wy niet dencken dat dese Konsten aleen door d’onderlinghe Aemulatio der Konstenaeren ghevoordert sijn gheweest, maer wy houden ’t daer voor dat den grooten naem van vele welsprekende mannen de wackere gheesten der Konstenaeren met eenen oock opgheweckt heeft om yet wat te verrichten ’t welck dierghelijcke eere verdienen mocht.
[Suggested translation, Marije Osnabrugge:] Although the old Artists were without a doubt driven forcefully by the heat of their desire to imitate and by the unbearable irresistible incentives of envy towards serious practice of these Arts, still we should not think that these Arts have only advanced through the mutual Emulation of Artists, but we insist that the great name of many eloquent men have simultaneously incited the alert minds of Artists to do something which might deserve such an honor.