Background
Conscience's numerous romantic novels, in the best Walter Scott tradition, gave the Flemings a great pride in their past. His masterpiece is the Lion of Flanders, which was translated into 20 languages. Conscience also wrote many novels about the simple rural folks of Flanders. Among his works are Im't Wonderjaar 1566 (1837), History of Belgium (1845), Blind Rosa (1850), and The Miser (1853). He died at Brussels, Sept. 10, 1883.