have been unglued since they were first put
there, excepting a small part at the upper and lower ends, and see,
sir, when I put the upper table on it is like an arch, and to press
that part down on to the ribs will send a crack along from the sound
hole on either side, which will simply be breaking up the whole affair
by degrees." "Well, what method would you propose for correcting all
this and making a good restoration of it, James? Give it a look over
carefully and tell me." The assistant well knows the attendant
circumstances connected with a good restoration or a bad one; if left
as it is, it may be sold "in the trade" for so much, if badly restored
it will fetch less, if well done it will be worth to the outside world
a considerable sum, and if it should go well as regards the emission
of its doubtless fine tone, the value as a whole would be greatly
enhanced. Much thinking and careful calculation is therefore
concentrated on the subject, and after awhile James says, "Well, sir,
this lot of glue all round may as well come off first as last, there's
no doing anything with it as it is." With this his chief agrees; so
he sets to work, not with a chisel or any cutting instrument, he is
so far advanced in his methodical working to know from experience that
it is next to impossible to avoid injuring the sharply defined and level
edge of the rib as left by the maker originally if such rough treatment
as filing, chipping or cutting is resorted to; he therefore adopts a
milder course of treatment. Taking a few pieces of cotton cloth or white
sheeting--old calico is equally efficient--he folds them into several
layers, and when so about four inches long by about three-quarters of
an inch in width. Nearly a dozen of these are got ready. After being
soaked in water, they are taken out and slightly squeezed so that they
no longer drip. One by one they are placed all round on the edge of
the ribs close to each other so that no vacant space is perceptible
between each, and after a gentle patting down with the fingers along
the course they are left to do their work quietly, more effectively,
too, by far, than any steel tool with the brute force necessary for
ploughing through that most obstinate of materials, hard, dry glue.
These folds of cotton material James calls his poultices for drawing
the impurities away from the system; they, in the present instance,
afford him time to think over the sort of engineering that will task
his