"By his peculiar ingenuity, he could, at all times of the year,
even in the midst of winter, hatch chickens and ducklings without
using hens or ducks.

"He made instruments, by means of which were seen pictures and
portraits; for instance, he could show you kings, princes,
nobles, although residing at that moment in foreign countries.
And there was no paint nor painter's work to be seen, so that you
saw a picture in appearance, but not in reality."

Perhaps a magic lantern?

"He could make a glass, that placed in the dark near him or
another, drew the light of a candle, standing at the other end of
a long room, with such force, that the glass near him reflected
so much light as to enable him to see to read perfectly."

Was this done by parallel parabolical mirrors?

"He could make a plane glass without grinding it on either side,
in which people saw themselves reflected seven times.

"He invented all these and many other curiosities, too long to
relate, without the aid of the black art; but by natural
philosophy alone, if we may believe the _tongues_ whose _eyes_
saw it. By these experiments, he so gained the King's favour, his
Majesty granted him a pension of 2000 guilders. He died in
London, anno 1634, the sixtieth year of his age."

Thus writes the Alkmaar chronicler. If you, or any of your learned