The Mathematical Orphan

Willem Loré (1679-1744) arrives as a twelve-year-old orphan at the civic orphanage in Leeuwarden. The orphanage board sees that he has a talent for mathematics. That is why Willem is sent to Franeker. He cannot become a student because he does not know Latin. But a professor takes Loré under his wing and gives him free lessons. Later the professor even allows him to teach classes.
Loré becomes a land surveyor and hydraulic engineer. He designs the Nieuwe Bildtdijk and the Dokkumer Nieuwe Zijlen. His approach: make dykes wider instead of higher, which makes them stronger and reduces costs. He also works on fortification construction. At the end of his life, he receives the honorary title of 'extraordinary professor of mathematics' in Franeker.

It is 1740. Summer. Somewhere in Brabant on a hillside sits a man. He has a box on his lap. When opened, it is a kind of mini-desk with a green writing pad, an inkpot, a pen holder and space for papers.

The man studies the landscape and takes notes. The village below; the course of the river; the roads. He also makes a small map. At the location of his hilltop, he draws a star-shaped fort. With long lines he shows how the defenders will look. How the cannons will fire.

The sun climbs higher and the man grows tired. He closes the box and seeks a place to rest. In the shade of a tree he closes his eyes. He dreams of his youth:

The orphanage. During the day he must work and at night he must sleep. But it does not work. He must drag sacks at a miller's. But he sees the cogwheels. At a furniture maker's he must sand a cupboard. But he calculates its volume. And at night he studies conic sections and reads mathematical formulas. In the morning he is pale and has red eyes.

'Willem cannot work,' they say. 'He thinks too much.' Someone says: 'Willem should go to Franeker. Perhaps he will learn something useful there…' The boy walks from Leeuwarden to Franeker. A professor becomes his friend. He is not a student because he does not know Latin. But he is allowed to learn. And later he is not a professor. But he is allowed to teach. He becomes a lecturer; land surveyor; hydraulic engineer and fortification builder.

In the shade of the tree, Willem sleeps on peacefully. He does not notice that soldiers are coming. They poke him awake. They shout: 'What are you doing here!?' – 'What are you doing here?' – 'This is forbidden territory!' Someone sees the box and breaks it open. 'A spy! He is a French spy! He has notes of a fort! The dirty rat!'

The soldiers are nervous. 'Spies must die!' – 'Who are you!?' But the scholar remains silent. From fear he says nothing. He has forgotten the passwords. He no longer remembers the names of the high officers. Willem stammers. But nobody listens. 'Let us hang him! Here on this tree!' Finally Willem cries out: 'But I am Loré, from Franeker! Loré from Franeker!'

The misunderstanding is resolved. Relieved, the fortification builder returns to his lord, Prince William IV. For a long time afterwards, the courtiers laugh while repeating the anxious cry of the mathematician: 'I am Loré from Franeker!'