Personal data
Catherina Elisabeth Hasselaer
Born 1738  
ca.
Died 1792  
Madame Geelvinck

Daughter of Gerard Aernoud Hasselaer (1698-1766) and Elisabeth Clignet (1702-1776). Married (1756) to Lieve Geelvinck van Castricum (1730-1757). Married (1767) to Francois Gabriel Joseph (1744-1789?), Baron de Chasteler de Courcelles d'Incourt. Married (1790) to Rijksgraf (Count) Georg von Görtz (1724-1794), Baron von Schlitz.1

She was a close friend of Belle de Zuylen's.

Boswell met her in Utrecht, presumably at some time during January 1764. He first mentions to "play with Veuve" on January 24 of that year, and she occurs frequently in his memos for the next few months, during which he falls much in love with her. During all that time she thinks he is in love with her friend, Belle de Zuylen. In the end, Boswell and Hasselaer promised to stay friends and correspond, but it is not known whether they ever had any contact with each other following Boswell's departure from Holland in the summer of 1764.

    Boswell in Holland 1763-64

    Unless otherwise noted, the source for a dated quotation of Boswell's is generally the corresponding volume of the Yale Trade Editions of Boswell's journals.