t are known to be perfectly sound. The tapping or
sounding can be done in the way usual with dealers and repairers, that
is, by the knuckle joints of the hand rapping round the instrument,
but this is sometimes deceptive, the tendons over the bones of the hand
interfering and occasionally causing a double sound, and so defeating
the efforts at discovery. A more delicate and therefore better means
of testing is by the use of a felted hammer of the kind and size acting
on the bass string of a grand pianoforte; this will be found very handy.
Should the rapping or sounding all round the border not reveal any weak
spot, we may be sure the seat of the complaint is to be sought for
elsewhere; possibly there is looseness in the interior and therefore
something requiring deeper consideration.

We will for the present assume that there has been no uncertainty in
locating the weakness, and that it is at the part before referred to
as the most frequent in showing signs of disorder--the upper table
losing its grip on the ribs. This is one of the many common ailments
that are teazing to the violin during its troublous career; a slight
accidental tap, or hastily putting the instrument to rest in a too
closely fitting case being often sufficient. Sometimes, on the reverse,
it is from being in too large a one, getting well shaken while being
taken home after some orchestral rehearsal; the joy of having mastered
Mozart or battered Beethoven for an evening is turned in the morning
to grief and vexation, when in response to the gentle persuasions of
the bow there are but chatters and jarrings. Under such circumstances
the treatment administered by the hands of non-practical or
inexperienced people is akin, more often than not, to that popularly
supposed to be effectual in suppressing slight functional disorders
of the human system; namely, a prompt and appreciable dose of medicine
for the one, a good stuffing of thick dark glue for the other. In both
cases it may well be said that not unfrequently "the remedy is worse
than the disease." Glue is a good thing in its way and when properly
applied, but not so if overdone, even if the kind is the best
obtainable.

A few remarks may here be offered as to the qualities that should be
present in good glue, especially with regard to violin repairing. Among
the makers of it, the glue which will absorb the largest quantity of
water ranks as the best. It will, after proper application, resist best
t