ht forward and opened, the violin,
with perhaps one very brown string dangling from it, is taken gently
up, the left hand encircling the neck, while the forefingers and thumb
of the right, hold the lower part near the tail-piece.

The violin is turned first one way, then the other, and sideways for
viewing the ribs and the beautiful play of light through the varnish,
the fine curl of the maple with the slightest movement, almost giving
an impression of hastily shifting from one row to another, in fact,
looking as if the wood were gifted with life. Steadily turning it about,
the connoisseur at last breaks out with the exclamation, this is the
most wonderful thing I have met with in my life, it is almost perfect,
practically new, looks, perhaps, but a dozen years old. What a
beautiful design, what colour, and splendid wood, both the pine and
maple, the workmanship, too, having that wonderful freedom of handling
which moderns find so impassable a barrier to success with their
"imitations of the antique!" Lost in admiration for some minutes, the
connoisseur's critical faculties after a while begin to assert
themselves, and he is on the look out for flaws or defects that may
mar the completeness of the whole; it might be a little more this or
that with advantage, not quite so fine in one respect, although perhaps
better in another than the one owned by his friend Smith; but oh! a
wormhole! that settles it, done for! perhaps the thing is riddled, or
even "honeycombed" in parts. The delight at finding a work of art in
apparently so perfect condition is succeeded by a more than
counterbalancing sense of frustrated hopes, schemes for acquisition
of the gem being dissipated at once by that small circular opening just
at the under part of the edging there near the corner. Our friend takes
his departure, but cannot help talking of the "find" to the dealer and
repairer of whom he purchases his strings. This person takes another
view of the affair, and resolves to see the thing and perhaps acquire
possession, so that like his customer, he gets permission to inspect
the violin. It is brought out as in the other instance and he turns
it about, gives it a sly pinch here and there, looks for any light
coloured dust or powder inside and does not see any, a shake or two
with the same result. The subject of parting with the instrument at
a fair price is at length broached to the owner, who would like to know
what Mr. ---- would be prepared