ged Violin--Advent of the four-stringed Violin ascribed to
Gasparo da Salo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-26

SECTION II.--THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VIOLIN.

The present form of the Violin the result of much research and
experiment, but perfected by the great Cremonese makers--Hogarth's
"Line of Beauty" exemplified in the Violin--The requisites necessary
to the due appreciation of the grace and properties of the Violin, and
its exquisite power of expression--Its acoustical
properties--Varieties of woods used in its construction--Methods
adopted, and choice of material, by the great Brescian and Cremonese
makers--The "whole-back" and "slab-back"--The constituent parts of the
Violin--System of placing the sound-bar--Properties and position of
the sound-post, and of the bridge; the neck; the finger-board;
purfling, &c., &c.--The sound-holes of different makers--Needed
cautions as to repairing good instruments . . . . . . . . . . . 27-42

SECTION III.--ITALIAN AND OTHER STRINGS.

Importance of the Strings in the economy of the Violin--Adrien Le
Roy's instructions "How to know Strings"--Thomas Mace and "Venetian
Catlins"--Character of the different manufactures of
Strings--Superiority of the Italian--The raw material not supplied by
the feline race--Rules to be observed in choosing Strings--Modern
improvements in Stringing--The Strings of Lindley and
Dragonetti--Covered Strings--Experiments on the strain and pressure of
Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43-56

SECTION IV.--THE ITALIAN SCHOOL.

A glance at the rise, culmination, and decadence of Art in Italy, and
the Violin as connected therewith--The Italians far in advance of
other nations in the manufacture--The five Schools of Italian
makers--Roger North on the demand for Italian Violins--Brescia the
cradle of the manufacture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57-69

SECTION V.--THE ITALIAN VARNISH.

The formation of the Italian Varnish a secret lost to the
world--Lustrous character of that of Cremona--Characteristics of the
four classes of Italian Varnish--Conjecture as to the loss of the
secret--Influence of the different Varnishes on the tone of the
Violin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70-76

SECTION VI.--ITALIAN MAKERS.

Acevo--Albanesi--Albani--Aletzie--Alvani--AMATI, ANDREA; evidence as
to date of birth; his Violins small; founded the School of Cremona;
probably