cerned whether their instruments possessed merit becoming
the productions of a true artist; their chief aim would seem to have
been to make in dozens--in other words, quantity in place of quality.
If the early French makers are carefully studied, it will be seen that
Boquay, Pierray, and one or two of their pupils are the only makers
deserving of praise. It must be admitted that the shortcomings of the
makers of the first period were adequately supplied by those of the
second period, which includes the king of French artists, Nicolas
Lupot. The old French school, originating with Tywersus and Medard,
includes the following makers: Nicolas Renault, of Nancy, Medard, also
of Nancy, Dumesnil, Bertrand, Pierray, Boquay, Gavinies, Chappuy,
Ouvrard, Paul Grosset, Despont, Saint-Paul, Salomon, Veron, with
others of less importance. Many of these makers had a fair amount of
ideas, which, had they been well directed, might have led to fame.
Others contented themselves with copying, without giving any place to
their fancy. It will be found that many of the instruments by Boquay,
Pierray, and a few others, have varnish upon them closely resembling
that of the Venetian school; it is full-bodied, very transparent, and
rich in colour. Many of their works are covered with a very inferior
quality of varnish, which has caused some confusion respecting the
merit due to them as varnishers, they being frequently judged by their
inferior instruments, without reference to their good ones. It is
evident that they made two qualities of varnish, in accordance with
the price they were to obtain, as was commonly done in England by the
Forsters, Banks, and Wamsley, where similar confusion exists. The
Italians happily avoided this objectionable practice. Their works are
of one uniform quality in point of varnish. This divergence may
possibly be accounted for by the difference of climate. In Italy, oil
varnish, judiciously used, would dry rapidly, whereas in France or
England the reverse would be the case; hence its more sparing use.

We will now glance at the second French School of makers, commencing
with De Comble. Learning his art in Italy, and, it is said, under
Stradivari, he brought to bear a knowledge superior to that possessed
by the makers mentioned above. The form he introduced was seen to be
in advance of that hitherto met with among the French and Belgian
makers, and led to its being chiefly followed. The next maker was
Pique, who made