The Lovestruck Professor

Jan van der Bildt (1709-1791) is a Franeker instrument maker who works for the university. His telescopes are world-famous today.
When Jan tests a new telescope, he can see from the rampart how professor Petrus Camper visits a patient at Klein Lankum. By chance, Jan also sees that the doctor subsequently gives the patient's wife a private examination.

A few days later, the instrument maker and the doctor meet each other at the university and soon the conversation turns to telescopes. Then Jan gives the professor some well-intentioned advice to close the curtains next time when he visits Klein Lankum again… Shortly after the patient's death, Petrus Camper marries the widow Johanna Bourboom.

In the middle of the 18th century, the Franeker academy employed a particularly talented instrument maker: Jan van der Bildt. Jan is a carpenter's son who taught himself the trade of clockmaker and lens grinder. He is responsible for all the clocks and other measuring instruments of the university. At the same time, Jan makes telescopes. These telescopes are still world-famous today.

One day in the early spring of 1755, Jan has completed one of his telescopes. He wants to test the instrument on the rampart. Then he meets the new professor of medicine, Petrus Camper, on the street. Camper is in his early thirties, he is unmarried and he is on his way to a patient who lives just outside the city, at Klein Lankum. The two men walk together as far as the Harlingerpoort. Then Van der Bildt climbs the rampart and Camper walks on; out of the city.

The patient Camper visits that day is Doede Johannes Vosma. Vosma is the mayor of Harlingen. He is in his sixties. He is stinking rich. He is in poor health and he is married to a young and attractive woman; Johanna Bourboom.

Perhaps you should close the curtains, when you visit the mayor's wife again soon..

The professor examines his patient and prescribes him some medicines. But afterwards, Camper does not immediately return to Franeker. According to legend, he first stays 'some time with the lady in another room'… A few days later, Camper and van der Bildt see each other again at the university. The professor asks with interest how the telescope test went and van der Bildt responds enthusiastically. He proudly tells him that with his new telescope he can see well beyond Herbaijum!

Then the instrument maker thinks of something and adds in a confidential tone: 'Perhaps you should close the curtains, when you visit the mayor's wife again soon..'

Despite the good care of professor Camper, the old mayor did not recover. Shortly after his death, Johanna and the young professor marry. The affair and the marriage caused such a great fuss that the couple moved to Amsterdam.