to be far the best." "The pores of
the wood have a more and free liberty to move, stir, or secretly
vibrate, by which means the air--which is the life of all things, both
animate and inanimate--has a more free and easie recourse to pass and
repass." This explanation accounts, in part at least, for the
superiority of old over new instruments, and in language delightfully
quaint and simple.

MANTEGAZZA, Pietro Giovanni, Milan.

Pietro Giov Fratelli Mantegazza nella
Contrada di Santa Margarita in
Milano al Segno dell' Angelo 17--

Petrus Joes. Fratresq Mantegatia
Mediolani in Via S. Margarite
anno 1760.

Petrus Joannes Mantegatia, fecit
Mediolani in Via S. Margaritae 1784.

Vincenzo Lancetti states that "about 1800 the Brothers Mantegazza were
restorers of instruments, and were often entrusted by French and
Italian artistes to lengthen the necks of their Violins after the
Paris fashion, an example which was followed by amateurs and
professors all over North Italy." This extract shows that the short
necks were dispensed with in Paris towards the close of the last
century, and doubtless Viotti was the chief instigator with regard to
the change. The family of Mantegazza, as Violin-makers, date back to
about the middle of the eighteenth century. They appear to have made
many Tenors. The workmanship is good, and also the modelling of the
later-dated instruments. The older ones are rather high, but the
varnish is brilliant. The wood is somewhat hard. Count Cozio was a
patron of the Brothers Mantegazza, and he appears to have increased
his knowledge of Italian Violins from information acquired from them.

MARATTI, Verona, about 1700.

MARCHETTI, Enrico, Turin, contemporary.

MARIANI, Antonio, Pesaro, from about 1580 to 1619. Long middle bouts
and corners; style and work very primitive, mostly double purfled.

MEIBERI, Francesco, Leghorn, 1750.

MESSEGUER, Spanish, about 1646.

MEZADRI, Alessandro, Ferrara, 1690-1722. The pattern is inelegant, and
the sound-holes too close.

MEZADRI, Francesco, Milan, about 1712.

MIALFI, Joannes, 1769. The label is in Spanish. Ordinary character of
work.

[Illustration: _Plate IX_. GIUSEPPE GUARNERI DEL GESU. 1737. (LATE H.
O. HAVEMEYER, ESQ.)]

MONTAGNANA, Domenico, Cremona and Venice, 1700-1740.

Dominicus Montagnana Sub Signo
Cremonae Venetiis 17--

Pupil of Antonio Stradivari. After leaving the workshop of his famous
master, h