Eduard Douwes Dekker was born in 1820, at
Amsterdam, his father being the captain of a merchantman trading in the
Dutch colonies. At the age of eighteen Dekker sailed on his father’s
vessel for the East Indies, determined to abandon the business career
that had been mapped out for him and enter the colonial service. In 1839
he received a clerkship in the civil service at Batavia. He now remained
in the employ of the government for seventeen years, being promoted from
one grade to another until he was made Assistant Resident of Lebak in
1856.
In this important position he used his influence
to better the condition of the natives; but, to his sorrow, he soon
found that he did not have the support of his superiors. What he
conceived to be right clashed with the line of conduct he was expected
to follow. In a rash moment of “righteous indignation” he handed in his
resignation; and it was accepted.
This hasty step put an end to a brilliant
political career and entailed upon Dekker years of disappointment and
hardship. Seeing that he was pursuing the wrong method to help either
the Javanese, or himself, he immediately tried to get reinstated, but
without success. In 1857 he returned to Holland and applied to the home
government, hoping to be vindicated and restored to his post. Again he
was disappointed. The government offered him another desirable position;
but, as it was a matter of principle with Dekker, he declined it.
When he saw that it was useless to importune the
government further, Dekker made his appeal to the people in “Max
Havelaar” (1860). The book was an instant success and made the name of
Multatuli famous. Through the perfidy of a supposed friend, however,
Dekker failed to get very substantial material rewards from this work.
For ten years yet he was struggling with poverty.
The Bohemian life that Dekker was now compelled
to live—his family was on the sufferance of friends—estranged him from
his wife and strengthened what some might call an unfortunate—or, at
least, an untimely—literary friendship that Dekker had formed with
a certain Miss Mimi Schepel, of The Hague. The spiritual affinity
between the two soon developed a passion that neither could resist. This
estimable lady, who afterwards became Dekker’s second wife, is still
living, and has edited Dekker’s letters in nine volumes. Dekker died in
February, 1887, at his home in Nieder-Ingelheim, where he had lived for
several years.
The “Woutertje Pieterse” story was first
published in Dekker’s seven volume work entitled “Ideen.” Here it is
sandwiched in between miscellaneous sketches, essays and treatises,
being scattered all the way from Vol. I to Vol. VII. The story falls
naturally into two parts, of which the present volume is the first part.
The second part, written in a different key, deals with “Walter’s
Apprenticeship.”
A good deal of the flax, or silk, of his
Chinaman’s pigtail, to use Dekker’s form of expression, I have unraveled
as being extraneous matter. However, despite these omissions, it is
quite possible that some very sensitive person may still find
objectionable allusions in the book. If so, I must refer that one to the
shade of Multatuli. From his own admission his shoulders were evidently
broad; and, no doubt, they will be able to bear the additional strain.
Hubert Evans.
New York City,
November, 1904.
