Scan 82
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1875
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 44. See the scan on archive.org.
1impossible to give such a description of these varnishes as will enable the reader at once to recognise them; the eye must undergo considerable exercise before it can discriminate the various qualities; practice, however, makes it so sharp that from a piece of varnishing the size of a shilling it will obtain evidence sufficient to decide upon the rank of the Violin.
3And here, before we dismiss the subject of the varnish, another interesting question occurs, What is its effect, apart from any appearance as a cosmetique, upon the efficiency of the instrument? The idea that the varnish of a Violin has some influence upon its tone has often been ridiculed, and we can quite understand that it must appear absurd to those who have not viewed the question in all its bearings. Much misconception has arisen from either pushing this theory about the varnish too far or not far enough. What seems sometimes to be implied by enthusiasts is, that the form of the instrument is of little importance provided the varnish is good, which amounts to saying that a common Violin may be made good by means of varnishing it. The absurdity of such a doctrine is self-evident. On the other hand, there are rival authorities who attach no importance to varnish in relation to tone. That the varnish does influence the tone there is strong proof, and to make this plain to the reader should not be difficult. The finest varnishes are those of oil, and they require the utmost skill and patience in
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