Books › Old violins, 1905 › scan 223
Scan 223
Old violins, 1905
10 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 201. See the scan on archive.org.
1Be not impatient. Play upon it gently at first, and by-and-by draw out its tone; lay it aside and watch that no harm comes to it; let it lie open, with a soft silken wrapper on the strings—near, not too near the fire; it must not get hot, but, like good claret, just the temperature of a comfortably warm room.
3Think of it in winter as you would think of your pet canary; don't let it get chilled at night; let it be in your own bedroom, or wherever there is an atmosphere and temperature fit for a well-cared-for "human."
5'Tis half human; 'tis caressed by your hand; it lies close to your cheek; 'tis breathed on by you when you press it, in moments of rare inspiration and musical trance, between your chin and your left breast, where its vibrating back actually feels the pulses of your own heart. The waves of sound that you generate from it are saturated with the magnetism of your touch; the trembling pressure of your fingers comes from the shaking of your own life-blood as it beats in the mysterious valves of the heart, and seems to mingle with those more than atmospheric, those psychic waves which travel out upon the air in a flow of magic sound conveying your inmost self to the inmost selves of others!
7So this half-human thing must live with you and be cared for by and fare with you, and be kept in good humour.
9See that no clot of dirt be in its case, no speck of rosin to vex and fret the smooth amber-coloured back. Take it out lovingly; polish it with soft handkerchief;
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