It was to this shop that Bucket the detective came under
the pretence of wanting a second-hand 'wiolinceller' (see
p. 29). In the course of conversation it turns out that Master
Bagnet (otherwise 'Woolwich') 'plays the fife beautiful,'
and he performs some popular airs for the benefit of his
audience. Mr. Bucket also claims to have played the fife
himself when a boy, 'not in a scientific way, but by ear.'

_Bagpipes_

Two references to the bagpipes deserve notice. One is in
_David Copperfield_, where the novelist refers to his own
early experiences as a shorthand reporter. He has no high
opinion of the speeches he used to take down.

One joyful night, therefore, I noted down the music
of the parliamentary bagpipes for the last time, and
I have never heard it since; though I still recognize
the old drone in the newspapers.

In _O.M.F._ (II.) we read of Charley Hexam's fellow pupils
keeping themselves awake

by maintaining a monotonous droning noise, as if they
were performing, out of time and tune, on a ruder sort
of bagpipe.

The peculiar subdued noise caused by a lot of children in a
school is certainly suggestive of the instrument.

_Trombone_

Little is said about the trombone. We are told, in reference
to the party at Dr. Strong's (_D.C._), that the good Doctor
knew as much about playing cards as he did about 'playing the
trombone.' In 'Our School' (_R.P._) we are told a good deal
about the usher who 'made out the bills, mended the pens,
and did all sorts of things.'

He was rather musical, and on some remote quarter-day
had bought an old trombone; but a bit of it was lost,
and it made the most extraordinary sounds when he
sometimes tried to play it of an evening.

In a similarly dismembered state was the flute which Dickens
once saw in a broker's shop. It was 'complete with the exception
of the middle joint.'

This naturally calls to mind the story of the choir librarian
who was putting away the vocal parts of a certain funeral
anthem. After searching in vain for two missing numbers he
was obliged to label the parcel

'His body is buried in peace.' Two parts missing.

_Organ_

The references to the organ are both numerous and interesting,
and it is pretty evident that this instrument had a great
attraction for Dickens. The gentle Tom Pinch (_M.C._), whom
Gissing calls 'a gentleman who derives his patent of gentility
direct from God Almigh