Out of this deluge of poor printing which appeared
from 1 570-1 7CX5 the work of Bonaventura and Abraham
Elzevir stands out in greater relief because of the con-
trast. The Elzevirs first became known in Holland as
book-binders in 1540, but it was not until 16 17 that
Isaac Elzevir set up his first printing press, which may
be considered as the beginmng of the Elzevir work.
The twenty-six years which followed the purchase of
this press were for the Elzevirs years of glory and
success. The early books produced were by no means
masterpieces, but following their work, step by step,
we find them to have reached the summit of their
excellence in the " Caesar," the " Terence,** and the
"Pliny "of 1635.
The question as to who was the maker of the type
punches used by the Elzevirs has caused much discus-
sion, and has never been definitely determined ; but it
is known that the engraver was a Dutchman named
Christopher Van Dyke.
II



DspT. A, Not. i»-i4] THE DEVELOPMENT OF

The examples of work from the Elzevir Press are
as follows : —

Dept. A, No, 12, A copy of " Italiae Hodiernae,"
containing excellent maps of the various Italian cities,
with description in Latin. This volume was printed by
Bonaventura and Abraham Elzevir, in Leyden, in
1627. The cut of the type, the presswork, and partic-
ularly the paper, are very inferior, but the engraving
of the maps shows much more skilful workmanship.
Dept. A, No. 13. This is a copy of the 1635 Terence
which brought the Elzevirs to the height of their feme.
