Scan 43
Famous Violinists and Fine Violins: Historical Notes, Anecdotes, and …, 1896
11 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1"Fancy!" said Viotti, "it is a violin—but a tin violin! Did you ever dream of such a curiosity?"
2And after listening for a few minutes he added—"My dear Langlé, I must possess that instrument; go and ask the old man what he will take for it." one of two readings
3And after listening for a few minutes he added— one of two readings
4"My dear Langlé, I must possess that instrument; go and ask the old man what he will take for it." one of two readings
5His companion approached and asked the question, but the old man was disinclined to part with it.
6"We will give you enough to enable you to purchase a better violin," said Langlé; "and, pray, why is your instrument not like others?"
7The aged musician explained that when he got old and found himself still poor, not being able to work, but yet able to scrape a few airs upon a fiddle, he had endeavoured to procure one, but in vain. At last his good, kind nephew, Eustache, who was apprenticed to a tinker, had made one for him in tin-plate.
8"And a very good one, too!" said the old man. "My poor boy Eustache brings me here in the morning when he goes to work, and fetches me away in the evening as he returns."
9"Well," said Viotti, "I will give you twenty francs for your instrument; you can buy a much better one for that price. But will you let me try it a little?"
10The curious violin was placed in his hands. Its singular tone amused him, and he produced some
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.