Please help me to explain the meaning of the sentence “the Dutch in the midst of their Boggs and ill Air, have their Houses full of Pictures, from the Highest to the Lowest”.
Thank you very much!
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Hello ThuLan,
welcome to our forum and many thanks for posting your first question. Here is what I have found:
In 1685 William Aglionby an Englishman with a long standing interest in dutch matters proclaimed with envy "the Dutch in the midst of their Boggs and ill Air, have their Houses full of Pictures, from the Highest to the Lowest”.
So clearly William Aglionby refers to his observation that the Dutch at that time had a lot of paintings in their houses. My guess is that ‘their Boggs’ refers to paintings by an artist by the name of ‘Bogg’ and ‘ill Air’ apparantly refers to paintings too.
Maybe @Andrea and @Alan can shed some light on this? Happy New Year and many thanks 
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I think this is the title of the painting: “the Dutch in the midst of their Boggs and ill Air” It’s obviously an admired piece of art.
The more I re-read this, the more I think it has nothing to do with ‘Boggs’ as an artist or “ill Air” as paintings.
It could be: “their Boggs” - their troubles and “ill Air” - sickness in the air. Perhaps people got sick easily during this time period.
I also think this is Archaic English.
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Hi Andrea, thanks a lot for your proposal which makes perfect sense. It didn’t occur to me that "The Dutch in the midst of their Boggs and ill Air’ could be the title of just one painting but you are right. Thank you very much for your support even on the last day of 2019 
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You’re welcome @Torsten. It made me really think! 
Enjoy the last few hours of 2019! Soon it will be 2020, where does the time go??!! Wishing you an awesome 2020.
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Happy New Year 2020 to you too, Andrea !
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Thank you for your help! Happy New Year!
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Thank you Torsten for your help! Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year to you too, ThunLang
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