--Fiddles everywhere, in
wild disorder! I interrogated my friend as to the cause of their being
in such an unseemly condition, and received answer that he had
instructions to remove most of the instruments from their cases and
arrange them, that I might better judge of their merits. I was at a
loss to understand what he meant by arranging, for a more complete
disarrangement could not have been effected. Not wishing to appear
unmindful of the kindly intentions of my would-be assistant, I thanked
him, inwardly wishing that this disentombment had been left entirely
to me. The scene was altogether so peculiar and unexpected as to be
quite bewildering. In the centre of the room was a large warehouse
table, upon which were placed in pyramids upwards of seventy Violins
and Tenors, stringless, bridgeless, unglued, and enveloped in the fine
dust which had crept through the crevices of the cardboard sarcophagi
in which they had rested for the previous quarter of a century. On the
floor lay the bows. The scene might not inappropriately be compared to
a post-mortem examination on an extended scale. When left alone I
began to collect my thoughts as to the best mode of conducting my
inquiry. After due consideration I attacked pyramid No. 1, from which
I saw a head protruding which augured well for the body, and led me to
think it belonged to the higher walks of Fiddle-life. With considerate
care I withdrew it from the heap, and gently rubbed the dust off here
and there, that I might judge of its breeding. It needed but little
rubbing to make known its character; it was a Viola by Giuseppe
Guarneri, filius Andreae, a charming specimen (now in the ownership of
the Earl of Harrington). Laying it aside, I pulled out from the pile
several others belonging to the same class. Being too eager to learn
of what the real merits of this huge pile of Fiddles consisted, I
rapidly passed from one to the other without close scrutiny, leaving
that for an after pleasure. So entirely fresh were these instruments
to me, that the delight I experienced in thus digging them out may
well be understood by the connoisseur. After thus wading through those
resting on the table, I discovered some shelves, upon which were a
number of cases, which I opened. Here were fine Cremonese instruments
in company with raw copies--as curious a mixture of good and
indifferent as could be well conceived. Not observing any
Violoncellos, when my attendant presented himself I inq