Books › the history of the violin, 1864 › scan 250
Scan 250
the history of the violin, 1864
2 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 228. See the scan on archive.org.
1they were taken back as a bad speculation. At the sale of Sir Wm. Curtis's instruments, lot 7, was a violoncello of the date 1684, said to have been made by Stradiuarius for a Corfiote nobleman, and deposited by him in a chest with cotton, and there left for at least a century; it was put up at 200 guineas and bought in for 235. Mara, the husband of the gifted Madame Mara, was a good player, but a drunken fellow, and behaved ill to his wife. He brought over a fine instrument of this maker, the tone of which was everything that could be desired, especially that of the first string, it was musical and rich, with much power; the figure or mottle of the wood was extremely beautiful. It is believed that Mr. Crossdill purchased this instrument from Mara, and that he sold it in the beginning of the present century to General Bosville, afterwards Lord Macdonald. His son disposed of it to Mr. Lucas, who played on it for some time at the Italian Opera, where he succeeded Lindley as principal violoncellist, and subsequently parted with it to Mr. John Whitmore Isaac, of Worcester. Before parting with Mara we will relate a couple of anecdotes of the effects of his temper and pride, for though he frequently ill-used his wife, yet he was proud of her talent, and would at times become enthusiastic in this respect. We will begin with the result of a drunken bout. When the Maras were at Berlin, Frederic the Great heard that Madame Mara had been unable to sing before him, in consequence of a severe beating her husband had given her, amongst other effects of which was a discoloured, or what schoolboys would call a black eye. The enraged monarch sent for the culprit, and after giving him a severe reprimand, told him as he was so fond of beating he should be indulged in his propensity, and accordingly sent him away to act as
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