Scan 129
Researches into the early history of the violin family, 1883
10 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 119. See the scan on archive.org.
1Present Time." This evidence alone might convince the unbiased inquirer that there is no foundation for the usual assertion, that the Welsh crwth was the progenitor of the violin. But, as we have already seen, there are other evidences on record which refute the common notion still more conclusively.
3True, there may be some doubt as regards the exact age of this Anglo-Saxon manuscript. J. Strutt assigns to it the tenth century. The disagreement between the antiquaries on this question is not great, and wherever such a disagreement exists it is generally safest for the uninitiated bystander to accept the less high age.
5The Anglo-Saxon fithele alluded to is pear-shaped like the lyra in Gerbert's "De Cantu et Musica Sacra;" but it has four strings, while the latter is represented with only a single string. The bridge is not indicated in the Anglo-Saxon illustration; however, this may be owing to carelessness of the artist, since there are some other Anglo-Saxon representations of the fithele, of later centuries, in which the bridge is indicated. One of these instruments is three-stringed, and is, in fact, a rebec. Another has five strings like the continental mediæval viol. Perhaps not much reliance ought to be placed on the number of strings exhibited. The four-stringed fithele is depicted with little holes near the top, through which the strings are drawn and fastened to screws at the back of the neck, just as is still the contrivance on the rebab and on some other oriental instruments.
7In order to facilitate the use of the bow, it was soon found desirable to modify the oval shape of the instrument. Thus originated the incurvations at the sides of the fiddle. The statement of some writers, that the incurvations were adopted for the purpose of enabling the player to hold the fiddle conveniently between his knees, is evidently unfounded. It was not the custom thus to place the instrument, even if its dimensions were rather large. The player held it before his breast, or in his lap, in the oriental fashion, or near to his neck.
9Subsequently the fiddle experienced various alterations
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