cork or india rubber being laid over it. More
carefully than all, the carved piece of wood that is to be pressed down
must be exactly in its right place, and above this, other slices, so
that the pressure may be distributed well, and not merely on one spot.

For this a goodly pile will be of advantage; to be quite scientific
in its proportion, an imaginary line drawn from the central point of
the pressure above to the outside or margin of the field of pressure
at the lowest part, should not be at more than an angle of forty-five
degrees.

Attention being paid to the foregoing, and the press or large screw
cramp being already in position, the pressure, which must be great,
is applied.

The glue will be seen oozing out between the surfaces of the table and
its veneer; this can be wiped off easily, and save the trouble of
removal when dry and hard.

Necessarily, a longer time will be consumed in thorough drying and
hardening in a case like this than in an ordinary repair in which the
atmosphere can more readily obtain access. When quite ready, the
pressure and the pieces of wood, paper, cork, or indiarubber can be
one by one released, and the simple veneer, now firmly attached to the
lower table of the violin, can have its edges trimmed round with gouge,
chisel, or scraper, and finally glass-papered to a good finish.

When neatly done, the edging of the veneer will decline gradually in
thickness, and die off all round.

There is nothing further to be done now, but seeing that the bar is
right in proportion, position, and fitting.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BAR IN OLDEN TIMES--THE MODERN ONE--THE OPERATION OF FITTING AND
FIXING THE BAR--CLOSING AND COMPLETION OF THE REPAIRS--VARNISHING OF
THE REPAIRED PARTS HAVING FRESH WOOD.

Much false reasoning upon insufficient premises has at times on and
off been bestowed upon the subject of the bar and its supposed mysteries.
Space at command will not allow of a dissertation on this detail of
the constitution of the violin. A few remarks will perhaps be
sufficient for present purposes. When violins were first sent forth
by their inventor, Gasparo da Salo, the bar was sometimes omitted,
possibly in all the earliest ones, the strain on the upper table being
then slight as compared with that of the present day--at others it was
very short and weak. The substance of the upper table was considerable,
and much over that which the later and modern makers approve of, and
thus t