along the joint as can be reached with the wires. After having dried,
the glue which had oozed up round the square will be found to have
decreased so much as to be but little perceptible--thus you see how
it was done. Do not try this yourself unless you have become expert
by long practice in repairing generally, as you may probably find this
more taxing to your nerves than you may be aware of, besides finding
it a difficult and dirty job getting any mislaid pieces out again."

This last piece of friendly advice is quite to the taste of the amateur,
who, being a non-practical man, is wise in abstaining from meddling
in directions for which he has no natural bent, and unlike the numerous
tribe of would-be repairers who think that any person who can use glue
and cut a piece of wood can engage in the restoration of such a small
instrument as a violin.

Our amateur, when arrived home, naturally enough shows his restored
violin to his friends, one of whom has been looking at it for some time,
and at last says: "That's the repairer for me, where does he live? My
violin is sadly in want of proper attention, and I think it requires
stronger measures for its cure than yours."

The address is readily given, and the instrument duly taken round to
our chief and his assistant. The statement having been made as to
recommendation, after an inspection of the very nice restoration of
his friend's violin, the new-comer takes out his violin from its case
and places it before the chief, who turns it over and over, looking
at each fraction of an inch without seeing much the matter with it.

The owner at last breaks in with the remark that a violin maker residing
where he lately came from had told him that the instrument would never
go properly unless the back was re-lined--that was perhaps the term
used.

The chief then rejoins: "I think the repairer was very likely hitting
the mark when he said that; this is one of those old violins of the
Brescian school, which are often too thin in the back for modern usage,
and there is no other resource but that of lining--or veneering, some
would call it--the back. If you like I will open it, and ascertain
whether it is so with this instrument."

Consent is given, and the chief goes to the back of his premises, and
returns with a much-worn table knife. Sitting calmly down before the
new arrival, and resting the instrument face downwards on his lap, he
proceeds with sundry slow but strong thrusts