ion of the whole of the interior of the instrument.

Without this there is the possibility of fine splinters of wood, or
cracks, being left unattended to that may announce themselves when all
is supposed to be in readiness for the bow, by a jarring, or, when the
bow is applied, by a buzzing which will take all the knowledge,
experience and guessing, perhaps more, that can be brought to bear upon
the matter without any practical result, excepting perhaps that of the
necessity of re-opening.

If found out before closing down, neighbouring parts should be rigidly
examined, as a slight, almost invisible fracture, will, on testing,
be frequently found to be much more extensive than was at first
suspected.

Gentle tappings may be tried and testings of resistance to bending at
the same, keeping the light at right angles to enable the slightest
opening or fracture to show itself and be at once placed under treatment.
When every test proves the instrument to be sound and ready for closing
up, preparations may be commenced.

There is probably no one of the different details of repairing that
gives more evidence than this of the kind of workman engaged upon it.

It may almost be said that this is rarely done as it ought to be in
the manner that can be described as being good in every way for the
purpose, and neatly done.

The bad manner of closing has been, more frequently than any other,
the means of putting the whole instrument out of order, gradually
distorting, if not actually bringing it to ruin as a work of art, and
to destruction as a means of producing good musical sounds.

Judging by the ways adopted by many inferior grades of repairers,
professional and amateur, the closing down of the upper table is
thought to be a trifling matter and simply that of passing some glue
on a brush rapidly round where the ribs are to come into contact with
the table, clapping it down, placing the cramps round, screwing them
tight, and, if the weather is cold, acting with more rapidity.

Ten minutes may be said to be the average time that this performance
takes, and in the majority of cases is thought to be a good one.

But not so by a really competent, painstaking repairer. From his view
this operation is to be one of the most cautiously conducted ones in
the whole series of joinings in connection with the repairing or
constructing of the violin.

As with other processes, there is more than one way of doing a thing
and that well