hands it came
Had written his unrivalled name--
'Antonius Stradivarius.'"--LONGFELLOW.

Antonius Stradiuarius Cremonensis
Faciebat Anno 17--

The renown of this remarkable maker of Violins is beyond that of all
others; his praise has been sung alike by poet, artist, and musician.
His magic name is ever rising to the lips in the presence of the "king
of instruments"; its sound is as familiar to the humble player as to
the finished artist. He has received the undisputed homage of two
centuries, and time seems but to add to the number and devotion of his
liege subjects: to-day he is as little likely to be dethroned as
Shakespeare.

Although many interesting particulars concerning Antonio Stradivari
have been obtained from time to time, there is wanting that which
alone can fully satisfy his admirers, viz., connected records of the
chief events of his life. Every endeavour has been made to supply, in
some way, this deficiency, by consulting documents relating to the
city of Cremona during the 17th and 18th centuries. The results of
these inquiries are of much value, and the reader will be made
acquainted with them in the following pages.

With a patience worthy of reward, the late librarian at Cremona,
Professor Peter Fecit, searched for the will of Stradivari, but as no
proper register appears to have been kept until long after the famous
maker died, his efforts were unsuccessful. Although the contents of
the will might throw but a faint light upon the doings of the
testator, there might be found particulars that would link together
much of the information we already possess.

The date of birth of Antonio Stradivari was made known to M. Fetis in
1856,[14] upon evidence contained in an inventory of instruments which
belonged to Count Cozio di Salabue. The inventory was made upon the
occasion of the instruments being deposited with Carlo Carli, a
Milanese banker. Among the Violins there appears to have been one by
Antonio Stradivari, bearing a label upon which, in the handwriting of
its maker, was stated his age, namely, ninety-two years, and the date
1736; thus making the year of birth 1644.

"That plain white-aproned man who stood at work,
Patient and accurate, full _fourscore_ years,
Cherished his sight and touch by temperance;
And, since keen sense is love of perfectness,
Made perfect Violins, the needed paths
For inspiration and high mastery."