Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Although many experts have already set forth the result of their knowledge and skill in publications of more or less merit on the subject of bowed instruments, there is still a want which it would be as desirable as praiseworthy to supply, that is, as regards the characteristic features of the Italian masters of the art of violin-making. The Author has set himself the task of collecting, as much from the actual instruments themselves, as from ancient and modern literature, both foreign and native, the names of the masters with the greatest possible accuracy and care, and also of describing the work of each individual. He has omitted -to dwell upon those stringed instruments which preceded the violin, and from which it may have been developed, because those materials have been sufficiently dealt with 5 and he begins with the origin of the violin itself, so that the reader may learn how to estimate the genuineness and the value of the Italian instruments, so far as it may be possible from the description accorded to them. Although many instruments have passed through the Author's hands, he is still far from saying that he has seen all those which are described here. He mentions with peculiar pleasure an excellent work from which he has learnt much, and of which he has made use, and he can do this with the greater confidence because the author of that work is known to him personally as an authority of the first rank in his art. The title of this work is The Violin its Famous Makers and their Imitators, by George Hart. London, 187 5.

Although many experts have already set forth the result of their knowledge and skill in publications of more or less merit on the subject of bowed instruments, there is still a want which it would be as desirable as praiseworthy to supply, that is, as regards the characteristic features of the Italian masters of the art of violin-making. The Author has set himself the task of collecting, as much from the actual instruments themselves, as from ancient and modern literature, both foreign and native, the names of the masters with the greatest possible accuracy and care, and also of describing the work of each individual. He has omitted -to dwell upon those stringed instruments which preceded the violin, and from which it may have been developed, because those materials have been sufficiently dealt with 5 and he begins with the origin of the violin itself, so that the reader may learn how to estimate the genuineness and the value of the Italian instruments, so far as it may be possible from the description accorded to them. Although many instruments have passed through the Author's hands, he is still far from saying that he has seen all those which are described here. He mentions with peculiar pleasure an excellent work from which he has learnt much, and of which he has made use, and he can do this with the greater confidence because the author of that work is known to him personally as an authority of the first rank in his art. The title of this work is The Violin its Famous Makers and their Imitators, by George Hart. London, 187 5.