Introduction

Barthold Hendrik Lulofs was born in Zutphen (Gelderland), on 17 March 1787. He grew up in an upper-middle-class home. His father, Johan Lulofs, was a local and provincial statesman. His mother, Constantia Drijfhout, was a daughter of Abraham Jacob Drijfhout, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Harderwijk. Lulofs attended the Latin School of Zutphen, where he developed a special interest not only in the study of language and classical literature, but also in poetry and rhetoric. In 1804, he moved to Groningen to study at the University of Groningen. During his studies, he stayed with his uncle, Herman Muntinghe, a well-known Professor of Theology at the University of Groningen. In his first years at the university, he attended lectures in classical literature, philosophy, and history, but as the years went by, he specialised in law. In 1809, he defended his dissertation about the freedom of the judiciary, titled De libertate.

After completion of his studies, Lulofs returned to Zutphen and became a lawyer. However, he did not find this profession very satisfying; it was during this period that Lulofs began writing poetry and translating literature (including his 1810 translation of Louise, by Johann Heinrich Voss). He also became interested in Dutch language and literature, inspired by the turbulent politics of his time. It is very likely that Lulofs was appointed Professor of the new chair of Dutch literature and rhetoric at the University of Groningen in 1815 because of his poetic and other literary activities.