“ From this time Maerlant rejected romance as idle, and devoted himself to writing scientific and historical works for the education and enlightenment of the Flemish people. His Heimelicheit der Heimelicheden (c. 1266) is a translation of the Secreta secretorum, a manual for the education of princes, ascribed throughout the middle ages to Aristotle. Van der Naturen Bloeme is a free translation of De natura rerum, a natural history in twenty books by a native of Brabant, Thomas de Cantimpré ”

“ In spite of his orthodoxy, Maerlant was a keen satirist of the corruptions of the clergy. He was one of the most learned men of his age, and for two centuries was the most celebrated of Flemish poets. ”

“ C. A. Serrure (Ghent, 1861) ; K. Versnaeyen (Ghent, 1861) ; J. te Winkel (Leiden, 1877, 2nd ed., Ghent, 1892) ; and editions of Torec (Leiden, 1875) by J. te Winkel; of Naturen Bloeme, by Eelco Verwijs; of Alexanders Geesten (Groningen, 1882) , by J. Franck; Merlijn (Leiden, 1880–1882) , by J. van Bloten; Heimelicheit der Heimelicheden (Dordrecht, 1838) , by Clarisse; Der Naturen Bloeme (Groningen, 1878) , by Verwijs ”