eale,
il Serenissimo Principe Reale di Pollonia
et Elettorale di Sassonia.
Francesco Maria Veracini Fiorentino
Compositore di Camera di sua Maesta."

The blending of the names of Stradivari, Augustus, and Veracini,
serves to carry our thoughts into channels overflowing with
interesting musical records. Voleme (Volumier) is said to have taken
the instruments from Cremona to Poland. It would therefore appear that
the Royal Orchestra was then stationed at Warsaw, the Court Musicians
having to divide their time between that city and Dresden. In these
capitals Jean Baptiste Volumier directed the music of the Elector
Augustus from the year 1706 to 1728. Veracini was appointed solo
Violinist in 1720 to Augustus, and the instruments which Stradivari
made for the King were, therefore, only five years old. Though new,
their tones were doubtless rich and beautiful. Veracini, it may be
assumed, saw, heard, and played upon these comparatively new
Stradivari Violins. He, however, whilst fully alive to their sterling
merits, played, in all probability, upon his Stainers, which he named
"St. Peter" and "St. Paul," with more pleasure, from their being
thoroughly matured. The order given by Augustus to Stradivari, and the
King's determination to have it executed, throws a strong side-light
on the lofty position held by Stradivari as a maker of Violins. It
also appears to furnish, in some measure, an explanation of the length
of time he took to execute the order given by the Marquis Ariberti. We
have here an artist of European celebrity, who was incapable of
executing indifferent work. Commissions flowed from the chief courts
faster than they could be executed. The genius of Stradivari could not
but be true to itself. He scorned to sacrifice quality at the shrine
of quantity. His patrons had, therefore, to wait patiently for their
instruments, though it might be for years. The Elector of Saxony was
evidently resolved upon securing his Violins, and it cannot be denied
that the measures he adopted to accomplish his purpose did credit to
his perseverance, and reflected honour on the Raphael of
Violin-making.

Passing to the last period of this great maker, we enter upon the
consideration of a set of instruments very distinct from those of an
earlier date, and which have given rise to a great divergence of
opinion. Some have gone to the extent of denying the authenticity of
these works, as far as they relate to Stradivar