an school, dating
from 1690 to 1764, has two very prominent members in Domenico
Montagnana and Santo Seraphino; but the former maker may, not
inappropriately, be numbered with those of Cremona, for he passed his
early years in that city, and imbibed all the characteristics
belonging to its chief makers.

Upon glancing at this imposing list of makers, it is easy to
understand that it must have been a lucrative trade which in those
days gave support to so many; and, further, that Italy, as compared
with Germany, France, or England at that period, must have possessed,
at least, more makers by two-thirds than either of those three
countries. And this goes far to prove, moreover, that the Italian
makers received extensive foreign patronage, their number being far in
excess of that required to supply their own country's wants in the
manufacture of Violins. Roger North, in his "Memoirs of Musick,"
evidences the demand for Italian Violins in the days of James II. He
remarks: "Most of the young nobility and gentry that have travelled
into Italy affected to learn of Corelli, and brought home with them
such favour for the Italian music, as hath given it possession of our
Parnassus. And the best utensil of Apollo, _the Violin_, is so
universally courted and sought after, to be had of the best sort, that
some say England hath dispeopled Italy of Violins." We also read of
William Corbett, a member of the King's band, having formed about the
year 1710 a "gallery of Cremonys and Stainers" during his residence in
Rome.

Brescia was the cradle of Italian Violin-making, for the few makers of
bowed instruments (among whom were Gaspard Duiffoprugcar, who
established himself at Bologna; Dardelli, of Mantua; Linarolli and
Maller, of Venice) cannot be counted among Violin-makers. The only
maker, therefore, of the Violin of the earliest date, it remains to be
said, was Gasparo da Salo, to whom belongs the credit of raising the
manufacture of bowed instruments from a rude state to an art. There
may be something in common between the early works of Gasparo da Salo
and Gaspard Duiffoprugcar, but the link that connects these two makers
is very slight, and in the absence of further information respecting
the latter as an actual maker of Violins, the credit of authorship
must certainly belong to Gasparo da Salo.

We are indebted to Brescia for the many grand Double-basses and Tenors
that were made there by Gasparo da Salo and Maggini. These instr