judged to have sunk in point of merit, when measured by the high
standard which in former days she set herself. But perhaps the
greatest marvel of all is the rapidity of the decadence when it once
set in, as it did immediately after the culminating point of artistic
fame had been reached.

To reflect for a moment upon the many famous men in Italy engaged in
artistic vocations contemporary with the great Viol and Violin makers
cannot fail to be interesting to the lovers of our instrument, for it
has the effect of surrounding their favourite with an interest
extending beyond its own path. It also serves to make prominent the
curious fact that the art of Italian Violin-making emerged from its
chrysalis state when the painters of Italy displayed their greatest
strength of genius, and perfected itself when the Fine Arts of Italy
were cast in comparative darkness. It is both interesting and
remarkable that the art of Italian Violin-making--which in its infancy
shared with all the arts the advantage attending the revival of art
and learning--should have been the last to mature and die.

Whilst the artist, scientist, and musician, Leonardo da Vinci, was
painting, inventing, and singing his sonnets to the accompaniment of
his Lute; whilst Raphael was executing the commands of Leo X., and
Giorgio was superintending the manufacture of his inimitable majolica
ware, the Viol-makers of Bologna were designing their instruments and
assimilating them to the registers of the human voice, in order that
the parts of Church and chamber madrigals might be played instead of
sung, or that the voices might be sustained by the instruments.[1]

[Footnote 1: The importance of this epoch in its bearings upon
instrumental music generally, and stringed instrument music in
particular, can hardly be over-estimated. It may be said that in the
Middle Ages no written music for instruments existed. The melodies and
accompaniments produced from instruments were either extemporaneous or
parrot-like imitations of vocal music. Madrigals and a few dances
constituted the food upon which instruments were nursed until towards
the close of the sixteenth century, when Gabrielli, or a contemporary
musician, prepared a special and distinct aliment, the outcome of
which is found in the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.]

If we turn to the days of Gasparo da Salo, Maggini, and Andrea Amati,
we find that while they were sending forth their Fiddles, Titian w