Unidad documental simple 21 - Draft of speech given by Ambrosius Hubrecht at the wedding of Elizabeth des Amorie van der Hoeven and Robert Trevelyan

1 item: one sheet of paper with extension glued on at bottom.

His father [Paul François Hubrecht] has asked him to act as master of ceremonies. Remembers the 'veneration' he felt as a boy for his father's young unmarried sister [Hermina], 'not so very [underlined] many years' older than he was himself; he happened to be present on her first meeting with his mother's cousin [Jan des Amorie van der Hoeven], and the marriage followed soon afterwards. Spent 'many pleasant hours' when a student in Utrecht of 'that uncle and aunt whom we cherished so dearly', and 'what fun' they often had, which [Mien] Röntgen and Elizabeth Trevelyan missed as they were then 'babies in cradles or babies in arms'. When these babies, as young girls, had 'the great misfortune' to lose both parents, it was 'the most natural thing in the world' that they should be looked after by his own family, and soon were considered by his two sisters and himself 'an absolutely integral part of our parental home'.

Did not then know that their home would be 'subjected to predatory raids made upon it by the most diverse foreign nations'. His dear brother [in-law] Alphonse [Grandmont], a 'staunch Belgian', has taken his elder sister [Bramine] 'not only across the border, but as far as the extreme south of Italy'; they are said to have a 'charming villa' there, which he is sorry he has never seen 'in the groves of which many nationalities meet and do not always seem to regret it' [a reference to the bride and groom's first meeting]. Mien was 'abducted not so very long ago by a fair haired Saxon' [Julius Röntgen] whose name 'already celebrated by his own achievements, has travelled all over the world on the all-penetrating rays of his cousin' [Wilhelm Röntgen, discoverer of X- or Röntgen rays]. Fortunately, he did not take her to Leipzig and they remain in Amsterdam. Now their 'youngest little sister' Bessie has also decided to 'throw in her lot' with a foreigner. Sure however that her husband will soon become one of them, as the other two have. Robert and Elizabeth already know, and Ambrosius hopes his parents and brothers 'whose presence on this occasion is such an inestimable pleasure' will also have realised in the last few days, that their sadness at Bessie leaving is 'far outweighed by the joy' that her husband 'has become so very dear' to them 'on his own account', especially to Ambrosius's mother; he jokes that he even feels a 'little jealous'. Therefore it is a 'case of international brotherhood' dictating his toast to the health of the bride and groom: 'may their union... coincide with a period of peace and good will among nations'.