Can this tale be true? Is such luck given by the jealous fates
mortalibus aegris? M. de Resbecq's find was made apparently in
1856, when trout were plenty in the streams, and rare books not so
very rare. To my own knowledge an English collector has bought an
original play of Moliere's, in the original vellum, for
eighteenpence. But no one has such luck any longer. Not, at least,
in London. A more expensive 'Pastissier' than that which brought
six sous was priced in Bachelin-Deflorenne's catalogue at 240
pounds. A curious thing occurred when two uncut 'Pastissiers'
turned up simultaneously in Paris. One of them Morgand and Fatout
sold for 400 pounds. Clever people argued that one of the twin
uncut 'Pastissiers' must be an imitation, a facsimile by means of
photogravure, or some other process. But it was triumphantly
established that both were genuine; they had minute points of
difference in the ornaments.

M. Willems, the learned historian of the Elzevirs, is indignant at
the successes of a book which, as Brunet declares, is badly printed.
There must be at least forty known 'Pastissiers' in the world. Yes;
but there are at least 4,000 people who would greatly rejoice to
possess a 'Pastissier,' and some of these desirous ones are very
wealthy. While this state of the market endures, the 'Pastissier'
will fetch higher prices than the other varieties. Another
extremely rare Elzevir is 'L'Illustre Theatre de Mons. Corneille'
(Leyden, 1644). This contains 'Le Cid,' 'Les Horaces,' 'Le Cinna,'
'La Mort de Pompee,' 'Le Polyeucte.' The name, 'L'Illustre
Theatre,' appearing at that date has an interest of its own. In
1643-44, Moliere and Madeleine Bejart had just started the company
which they called 'L'Illustre Theatre.' Only six or seven copies of
the book are actually known, though three or four are believed to