55. Dauiel Segars,
Brother to Gerard, and born at Antwerp, was a Disciple of John Brugell. He had not scarce his equal among the Anti∣ents or Moderns, for his artificial Painting of Flowers, which look as fine and gay as Nature her self produces them in the Spring; when Flora and Pomona Enamels the Fields and Gardens, his Flowers excelling those which Nature gives in this, that his Roses wither not, but always keep their blush∣ing Beauty, his Violets never lose their purple, nor his Lilleys their snowy white, but have received a sort of Immortality by his Hand: Having a desire to enter himself into the Soci∣ety of the Jesuits; he was admitted into their Convent at Antwerp, and was made a Lay-brother; his Superiours de∣siring to make advantage of his Industry, set him to Paint those Histories of their Society, which are to be seen over the Chairs of Confession in their Church at Antwerp. At Rome he drew the most remarkable Rarities that he saw either in the Palaces or Gardens there: His Works are no where to be found, but in Princes Closets, or amongst the Jesuits. Henry Frederick, Prince of Orange, was so desirous to have some∣thing of his hand, that he sent his Painter Willeborts on pur∣pose to Antwerp to procure some. Segars, by permission of his Superiours, made him a Present of an Oval Bason filled with flowers, upon which he Painted here and there several Butterflies and other little insects, so curiously, that added much to the beauty thereof; The Prince was so pleased with it, that he sent the Society ten massy peices of fiue gold in form of Oranges richly enameled, and a Painters Pallet, and several handles for Pencils all of fine Gold: The Princess of Orange had also presented her the Picture of an Oval bason full of Flowers mingled with Branches of the Orange Tree laden with Oranges, with which she was so taken that She sent the Fathers a Cross of Gold enameled, of above a Pound weight.