This book 'A Masque Of Days, From The Last Essays Of Elia' was originally published in 1901. The masque was a courtly feast involving dance, theatre, music and song popular in sixteenth century Europe and this work is a charming allegorical tale in which the guests at such a masque are The Days of the year, whose invitations are brought to them by twelve foot-pages called The Hours. Guests include Pay Day, who arrives late, Rainy Day dressed in wet stockings, and Wedding Day, who wears his marriage finery. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children. About the Illustrator: Walter Crane (1845-1915) was one of the earliest contributors to children's literature and one of the most influential illustrators in the development of children's colour picture books. Crane began working for Edmund Evans in 1864 producing bright, colourful books which revolutionised the type of children's books available. His Arts and Crafts illustrations came to typify children's books for decades to come.