extended over a hundred and thirty years. But it is only the little classical editions, and a French cookery book called _Le Pastissier Francois_, that are at all famous, and the fame of these (the little classics being troublesome to read and having more than a fair share of misprints, though edited by David Heinsius) probably rests on a misconception. These small classical editions were the last word for two centuries in that development of the Small Book which we have already traced in the Aldine editions at Venice, those of De Colines and Robert Estienne of Paris, of Sebastian Gryphius at Lyons, and of the successors of Plantin at Antwerp. Now the small books of the Elzevirs were produced at a very important period in the history of bookbinding, and when we hear of large sums having been paid for an Elzevir it will mostly turn out that the excellence of its binding has had a good deal to do with the price. The cookery book is an exception, the value of this, though often enhanced by a fine binding, being yet considerable, even in a shabby jacket. But the interest in this case is due to the antiquarian instincts of book-loving gourmets, and not in any way to the printing. The little classics, even when of the right date and with all the right little headpieces and all the right misprints, have never been worth on their own merits more than a few pounds, while shabby, cropped copies have no selling value whatever. FOOTNOTE: [43] He was born at Bassiano in the Papal States in 1450. CHAPTER XI FOREIGN ILLUSTRATED BOOKS OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY [Illustration: XXIII. NUREMBERG, SODALITAS CELTICA. 1501 HROSWITHA. OPERA (4^b). HROSWITHA AND THE EMPEROR OTHO (ATTRIBUTED TO DURER)]