developing, I am enabled to
complete the line, which brings the whole to its actual junction
with the mainspring of conception. This, in a very great state of
roughness, I show at an angle (fig. 23), and I reverse the sides,
cutting the other in the same manner. It is necessary to have the
wood firmly cramped to the bench on all occasions.

[Illustration: PLATE XXI.]

[Illustration: PLATE XXII.]

[Illustration: PLATE XXIII.]

I now select gouges 57, 24, 22, 43, 39, 50, and I carefully trim
both spirals, gauging the front and rear levels as I proceed by
one-eighth of an inch at a time, until I can find no fault, all
being square to the eye (for by nothing else can you prove your work
here) when I prepare to cut the trench which was only wanted to
soften off this essential to beauty.

Here I use all the gouges marked above; and in doing so I have to be
most careful not to FORCE any one part; for such is the brittle
nature of the wood (sycamore) that the delicate edges, as the
slender spiral ascends under your, perhaps, too eager hand, may not
be able to bear the strain put upon them, and a breach stares you in
the face, past remedy, save by an accomplished master of his art.

The next step is to soften the work done, and to smooth down with
rough to fine glass-paper, wetting every part after each course.
Then I cut off all the sharp _outer_ edges, from the terminal of the
back part of the whole to the top of each volute, this cutting to be
a good one-sixteenth of an inch broad, neatly filing and
sandpapering the same when done. The outer edge of the peg-box is
done in like manner.

Fixing the wood now, face downwards on the bench, I begin the
cutting of the fluting at the upper part, using gouges 57, 24, 22,
just in the order in which I write them, obviously the terminal part
being that which needs most attention and care. Reversing the wood,
I cut down by the nose of the head to the broad grooves which soon
appear, terminating just over the narrow end of peg-box. All should
be done neatly,--in a masterly manner were better--I file and
sandpaper over and over again until I get to my mind what now
appears in plates 24 and 25, and you will see the neck end is
finished, ready for insertion in the mortice, which is done later
when the fingerboard is added.

[Illustration: PLATE XXIV.]

[Illustration: PLATE XXV.]

CHAPTER XV.
FIXING NECK, FINGERBOARD, ETC.

As this neck and mortice business is very dif