 In the leaflet "De Vlaemsche Beweging" (1847), aimed against Conscience and his allies, Van Kerckhoven displayed his brio as a polemist.In these years it went well for Van Kerckhoven as he became a city clerk and published with "Ziel en lichaem" (1848) and the novel "Liefde" (1851) the pinnacle of his literary oeuvre.Moreover, he tirelessly contributes to the "Vlaemsche Rederyker", a literature-critical illustrated magazine, of which he had been head editor since 1847.