lness of these copies, as regards the chief portions of the
instrument, is singularly striking, so much so, indeed, as to cause
them to be frequently mistaken for originals by those who are not
deeply versed in the matter. The points of failure in these imitations
may be cited as the scroll and sound-hole. The former lacks ease, and
seems to defy its author to hide his nationality. The scroll has ever
proved the most troublesome portion of the Violin to the imitator. It
is here, if anywhere, that he must drop the mask and show his
individuality, and this is remarkably the case in the instance above
mentioned. A further difference between Amati and Jacobs lies in the
circumstance that the latter invariably used a purfling of whalebone.
Another copyist of Amati was Grancino. As the varnish which he used
was of a different nature from that of his original, his power of
imitation must be considered to be inferior to that of some others.
Numerous German makers, whose names will be found under the "German
School," were also liege subjects of Amati, and copied him with much
exactness; so also, last, but not least, our own countrymen, Forster,
Banks, and Samuel Gilkes.

Lancetti, writing of Niccolo Amati in 1823, says: "Some masterpieces
by him still remain in Italy, among which is the Violin dated 1668, in
the collection of Count Cozio. It is in perfect preservation, and for
workmanship, quality, and power of tone far surpasses the instruments
of his predecessors." The same writer remarks that "Niccolo Amati put
his own name to his instruments about 1640." It was upon a Violoncello
of this make that Signor Piatti played when he first appeared at the
concert of the Philharmonic Society, on June 24, 1844. The instrument
had been presented to him by Liszt, and is now in the possession of
the Rev. Canon Hudson. In an entry in the Cathedral Register at
Cremona, the name of the wife of Niccolo Amati is given as Lucrezia
Paliari. The meagreness of accounts of a documentary character in
relation to the famous makers of Cremona naturally renders every
contribution of the kind of some value. The following extract, taken
from the State documents in connection with the Court of Modena,
serves to indicate the degree of esteem in which the instruments of
Niccolo Amati were held during his lifetime, in comparison with those
of his contemporary and pupil, Francesco Ruggieri. Tomaso Antonio
Vitali, the famous Violinist, who was the director of