François Valentijn antara Etika dan Estetika

Abstract

A controversial book on the history of the VOC in the seventeenth century waswritten by François Valentijn, a preacher in the payroll of the Dutch East IndiaCompany (VOC). The book (eight volumes), published in 1724-1726, was knownby its popular title Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën. Most of the materials in the bookwere pirated from other sources without acknowledging their authors as isthe proper practice of historiography. But as to its style, a number of Dutchwriters appreciated its esthetic qualities. Beside that, the book is indeed usefulto historians today because some of the materials pirated in the book have nowbeen lost forever