Scan 232
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1884
6 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 66. See the scan on archive.org.
1The renown of this remarkable maker of Violins is beyond that of all others; his praise has been sung alike by poet, artist, and musician. His magic name is ever rising to the lips in the presence of the "king of instruments;" its sound is as familiar to the humble player as to the finished artist. He has received the undisputed homage of two centuries, and time seems but to add to the number and devotion of his liege subjects: he is as little likely to be dethroned to-day as Shakespeare.
3Although many interesting particulars concerning Antonio Stradivari have been obtained from time to time, there is wanting that which alone can fully satisfy his admirers, viz., connected records of the chief events of his life. Every endeavour has been made to supply in some way this deficiency, by consulting documents relating to the city of Cremona during the 17th and 18th centuries. The results of these enquiries are of much value, and the reader will be made acquainted with them in the following pages.
5With a patience worthy of reward, the late librarian at Cremona, Professor Peter Fécit, searched for the will of Stradivari, but as no proper register appears to have been kept until long after the famous maker died, his efforts were unsuccessful. Although the contents of the will might throw but a faint light upon the doings of the testator, there
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