public function render($block = null) {
        // Automatically hide pagination whenever it is superfluous
        if ($this->auto_hide === true AND $this->total_pages <= 1)
            return '';

        if ($block === null) {
            // Use the view from config
            $block = $this->block;
        }

        if (!$block instanceof Block) {
            // Load the view file
            $block = block($block);
        }

        // Pass on the whole Pagination object
        return $block->set(get_object_vars($this))->set('page', $this)->render();
    }