anquet in the fifteenth century, from which I extract the
player shown in Fig. 44.

[Illustration: FIG. 44.]

The evidence of drawings, sculptures, etc., in the earliest days of
rebecs and viols, if not reliable in the representation of the bow
itself, are still less so when it comes to the question of handling
the same. With the smaller viols, the thumb (such an important
member) is naturally invisible, and the effect is usually that of a
clenched fist. It seems to have been the general rule with all the
viols of lower pitch that were held perpendicularly, to hold the bow
underhand as described by Sympson in 1759 (Fig. 45). But the third
drawing in Fig. 18 is remarkable alike for the modernness both of the
bow and the posture of the hand holding it. This is on a par with the
early bows with screw-nut and _cambre_ described in the first section
of this work. I cannot think it likely that the sculptor saw anyone
playing a bass viol in this manner. Whether this representation was
the result of gross ignorance or prophetic inspiration I leave to the
reader to decide.

[Illustration: FIG. 45.]

Of course the manner of holding the bow for the smaller viols would
have approximated more nearly to that which obtains on the violin at
the present day, as the underhand position would have been extremely
inconvenient, and even impossible.

The earliest English method for the violin known is that contained in
the second book of "An Introduction to the Skill of Musick, in Three
Books," published in 1654 by John Playford.

Here the violin is just tolerated in a sort of appendix to the more
important subject of the "Treble, Tenor, and Bass Viols." It consists
chiefly of various methods of ensuring accuracy in tuning the fifths,
and the question of bowing is summarily treated as follows:--

"The _Bow_ is held in the right Hand, between the ends of the Thumb
and the 3 Fingers, the Thumb being stay'd upon the Hair at the Nut,
and the 3 Fingers resting upon the Wood. Your _Bow_ being thus fix'd,
you are first to draw an _even Stroak_ over each _String_ severally,
making each _String_ yield a clear and distinct sound."

Of the Treble Viols very little is said on the subject of bowing, the
most complete instructions on that head being given for _the_ viol
_par excellence_, the viola da gamba. In treating of this glorious
instrument the older writers spared no pains to make their directions
as complete as possible. Thus Sympson in h