e being right, I next see to the flat edge being strictly of
one thickness all round, which I get to my mind by using a cork
rubber-tool 67, and about No. 1 sandpaper--maker's number. You can
be sure of this correctness by using a sawyer's circular round
gauge--and you had best do so.

Now, gentlemen, this brings me to

CHAPTER III.
PURFLING.

There seems a difference of opinion as to where this word originally
was used. I fancy in ancient heraldry; but there the word is
"pur_flew_" a "bordure of ermines, peans, or furs," whilst the
ancients spell it "pur_file_," a "trimming for women's gowns."
Milton says "to purfle--to embroider." So it seems it has ever been
used as an ornamental border, no matter what thing it had to grace,
for grace it is: and though not essential to the violin in the
matter of tone, yet it most certainly is from an artistic point of
view; and its absence in an old instrument constitutes the double
drawback of being unfinished, and of less, very much less, value.

But it will be asked by some people, who know something of the
construction of the instrument, "what has purfling got to do with
the making of a violin at this stage?" To which I answer, much, very
much indeed from my standpoint, and according to my theory, as I
will explain. It will not be denied, I think, that makers have done
and now do this ornamental part _after_ the body of the instrument
is put together--in fact, the query at the beginning of this
paragraph proves it; by whom I do not know, nor advocated by what
book. But I ask you, is it not vexatious when all your efforts have
been used to work up your surfaces and to round off and finish your
edges, you must in a sense undo much of it, temporarily, by using a
tool, or tools, to cut the narrow channel for the ornament, and
using glue to finally fix it, when _some_ of the superfluous
purfling has either to be cut away by a gouge or scraper? And
besides, and to me most important, glue, though wiped quickly away
with a sponge and hot water, _will_ leave a residue which can never
be wholly got out of the pores; and this should not be if you want a
brilliant varnish. Of course I mean oil varnish, but am apt to
forget this age of cheapness, which flies to easily put on,
quick-drying, cheap spirit.

So, as I made it quite clear to you when introducing the subject of
these lectures, that it was entirely on _my_ system that I was going
to work, so we will now resume, I dee