ng the large
proportions and powerful tone of Maggini's instruments, decided to use
one for public playing. That an artist so refined as De Beriot, and
one who attached so much importance to that sympathy between the
Violin and player which should make it the vehicle for presenting its
master's inward feelings, should have selected a Violin of large size,
and adapted for giving forth a great volume of tone, was a matter of
surprise to a great many of his contemporaries. Those who judged only
from his school of playing anticipated that he would have selected
Amati as embodying the qualities he so passionately admired. It is
certain, however, that he succeeded in bringing the penetrating power
of his Maggini thoroughly under his control. In the instruments of
Maggini, De Beriot doubtless recognised the presence of vast power,
together with no inconsiderable amount of purity of tone, and to bring
forth these qualities to the best advantage was with him a labour of
love. The popularity of Maggini's Violins rapidly raised their value.
Instruments that, before De Beriot made them widely known, might have
been purchased for ten pounds, realised one hundred. The Violin known
as "De Beriot's Maggini" remained in his possession till within a
short time of his death, when it was disposed of to his friend and
patron, the Prince de Chimay, it is said, for the enormous sum of six
hundred pounds--a price far in excess of the average value of
Maggini's instruments. In this instance, the association of De Beriot
with the instrument is sufficient, perhaps, to account for the rare
price set upon it.

We now reach the time when Carlo Bergonzi began to be regarded as a
maker of the first class. As a Cremonese maker, he was one of the
latest to receive the attention to which his exceptional merits fairly
entitled him. To English connoisseurs belongs the credit of
appreciating this great maker.

The recognised merits of the makers already named naturally caused a
demand for Italian instruments generally. If the masters could not be
had, the pupils must be found; hence a whole host of Italian makers,
quite unknown in England fifty years since, became familiar to the
connoisseur. The works of Guadagnini, Gagliano, Grancino, Santo
Serafino, Montagnana, and others whose names it is unnecessary to
give, passed from Italy into France and England, until the various
schools of Italian Violin manufacture were completely exhausted. When
we look back