ce; it produces a useful traffic between the
industry of indigence and the curiosity of wealth, and brings many
things to notice that would be neglected."

SECTION XIV
Sketch of the Progress of the Violin

It may be said that the Violin made its appearance about the middle of
the sixteenth century. There are instances where reference is made to
Violins and Violin-playing in connection with times prior to that
above-named, but no reliance can be placed on the statements. Leonardo
da Vinci, who died in 1523, is spoken of as having been a celebrated
performer on the Violin. The instrument he used is described as having
had a neck of silver, with the singular addition of a carved horse's
head.[1] This description, however, is sufficiently anomalous to make
one rather sceptical, as to whether the instrument denoted possessed
any particular affinity to the present Violin. Reference is made to
the picture of the "Marriage at Cana," by Paolo Veronese, as
furnishing evidence of the form of instruments used in Italy in the
16th century, and a description is given of the musical part of the
subject as follows: "In the foreground, in the vacant space of the
semicircle formed by the table, at which the guests of the marriage at
Cana are seated, Titian is playing on the Double-Bass, Paolo Veronese
and Tintoretto on the Violoncello; a man with a cross on his breast is
playing on the Violin, Bassano is blowing the Flute, and a Turkish
slave the Sackbut."

[Footnote 1: "Lives of Haydn and Mozart," translated from the French
by L. A. C. Bombet. 1818.]

[Illustration: "The Marriage at Cana."]

The naming of the performers is presumably correct, and greatly
heightens our interest in the group musically. It is clear, however,
that the nomenclature of the instruments is erroneous. In the engraved
section of the famous picture here given, Paolo Veronese is
represented taking part in the performance of a Madrigal, wearing an
expression of countenance indicative of rapt pleasure, engendered by
the mingling of the tones of his Tenor Viol in the harmonies. Behind
Paolo Veronese is seated Tintoretto, playing an instrument identical
with that in the hands of the painter of the picture. On the opposite
side of the table is Titian, with the point of his bow almost touching
the dog, playing the fundamental tones on the Violono. He apparently
displays an amount of real relish for his task, which bespeaks a
knowledge of the responsibility