Hendrik Laurenszoon Spiegel

Hendrik Laurenszoon Spiegel (11 March 1549 – 4 January 1612) was one of the most important writers and thinkers of the Amsterdam of the second half of the sixteenth century.

Spiegel was born in Amsterdam and is seen as a forerunner to the Golden Age of Vondel, Hooft and Huygens. He is the strongest candidate for the unknown author of the first book on Dutch grammar, the Twe-spraack (Twe-spraack vande Nederduitsche letterkunst), which appeared in 1584. (In the past it was thought to be Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert.)

On ethics, he wrote "Hertspiegel" (a summary of a more complex work), and a short play, "Numa", on the Roman king Numa Pompilius.

Spiegel died in Alkmaar, aged 62.

Bibliography

• A. Verwey, Hendrick Laurensz. Spieghel, Groningen 1919.
• J.F. Buisman, De ethische denkbeelden van Hendrik Laurensz. Spiegel, Wageningen 1935.
• K. Kooiman, Twe-spraack vande Nederduitsche letterkunst, Groningen 1913.
• G.R.W. Dibbets (ed.), Twe-spraack vande Nederduitsche letterkunst (1584), Assen/Maastricht 1985.
• Bostoen, Kaars en bril: de oudste Nederlandse grammatica, z.p., z.j. [1985].

External links

• Spiegel site
• Biography and bibliography on Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren