Books › The violin, how to make it, 1880 › scan 11
Scan 11
The violin, how to make it, 1880
5 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1form somewhat resembling the common violin, having three strings and a finger-board carved in wood or ivory. The Koba is an instrument somewhat analogous to the former, and having two horsehair strings. The Monochord, or single stringed violin, is common throughout Egypt, but the ancient Egyptians appear to have been acquainted with a two-stringed instrument at a very early date, as Graham, in his account of the first Edinburgh Musical Festival, relates, that upon an Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Augustus, and which was supposed to have been originally erected at Heliopolis by Sesostris, four centuries previous to the Trojan war, is a representation of an instrument twenty-one inches in length, having a neck and two strings, and an outline resembling a guitar, but which may certainly be excluded from the violin species, as there is every probability for supposing that no bow-instrument was known in Egypt at such an early period. The Fidla of the Icelanders was a rudely fashioned instrument, having six wires or strings of brass or copper, whilst the Langspel and Sumpphon were of a similar construction, the former having four and sometimes five brass or copper strings, with a fretted finger-board beneath. All those instruments were in use in Iceland from an early date, but are now almost extinct. The Gue was an early musical instrument in use amongst the Shetlanders, along with another species of violin having two horsehair strings, which probably was derived from Iceland or Norway, and which was performed upon in a manner resembling that of the violoncello. The Guhue is an instrument of rude construction used in Africa, having five hair strings. This instrument is sometimes used as a guitar, and at other times played upon by a bow, as custom or fancy may dictate. Another instrument, somewhat similar in form to the Guhue, is also used in some parts of Africa, having a large single string formed from a number of twisted hairs, and having two holes cut in the breast, which is a piece of skin stretched over part of the instrument. Such are a few of the earliest bow-instruments, some of which are supposed to have been in use from a very remote period, as the Ravantron of India has been traditionally ascribed to have been known there several thousands of years anterior to the birth of Christ. one of two readings
2form somewhat resembling the common violin, having three strings and a finger-board carved in wood or ivory. The Koba is an instrument somewhat analogous to the former, and having two horsehair strings. The Monochord, or single stringed violin, is common throughout Egypt, but the ancient Egyptians appear to have been acquainted with a two-stringed instrument at a very early date, as Graham, in his account of the first Edinburgh Musical Festival, relates, that upon an Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by Augustus, and which was supposed to have been originally erected at Heliopolis by Sesostris, four centuries previous to the Trojan war, is a representation of an instrument twenty-one inches in length, having a neck and two strings, and an outline resembling a guitar, but which may certainly be excluded from the violin species, as there is every probability for supposing that no bow-instrument was known in Egypt at such an early period. The Fidla of the Icelanders was a rudely fashioned instrument, having six wires or strings of brass or copper, whilst the Langspel and Sumpphion were of a similar construction, the former having four and sometimes five brass or copper strings, with a fretted finger-board beneath. All those instruments were in use in Iceland from an early date, but are now almost extinct. The Gue was an early musical instrument in use amongst the Shetlanders, along with another species of violin having two horsehair strings, which probably was derived from Iceland or Norway, and which was performed upon in a manner resembling that of the violoncello. The Guhue is an instrument of rude construction used in Africa, having five hair strings. This instrument is sometimes used as a guitar, and at other times played upon by a bow, as custom or fancy may dictate. Another instrument, somewhat similar in form to the Guhue, is also used in some parts of Africa, having a large single string formed from a number of twisted hairs, and having two holes cut in the breast, which is a piece of skin stretched over part of the instrument. Such are a few of the earliest bow-instruments, some of which are supposed to have been in use from a very remote period, as the Ravantron of India has been traditionally ascribed to have been known there several thousands of years anterior to the birth of Christ. one of two readings
4We now arrive at what is supposed to be a more modern
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.