The Violin may be considered as the chief of this tribe : it will be unnecessary to describe its form, &c. the instrument being so universally known : its scale ex tends from G, above the base clef, up to double D, in alt ; beyond which, though notes may be made, the tone becomes rather offensively shrill ; and, generally speaking, borders on a kind of whistling scream. The pre-eminent expression,and the wonderful execution which may be effected with the violin, added to the great compass we have above stated, (it being full three octaves and a half) justly occasion this incomparable instrument to take the lead in concerts and orchestras ; and, in general, in all musical meetings. It is to be lamented, however, that we cannot boast of so complete an with the construction of the violin, and of all its class, as Italy and some other parts of the Continent. We have some tolerable makers ; but the names of Ama ti, Staduarius, &c. no sooner appear, than the names of inferior workmen seem to shrink from notice. It really is surpris ing, but strictly true, that immense quan tities of violins, tenors, &c. &c. are regu larly imported from the Continent, as a wholesale trade, and at so low a rate as five, six, or seven shillings each ; from these our inferior performers are chiefly supplied. Hence it must be obvious that our artizans in this line suffer under: a very injudicious toleration, which, in any other branch of business, would be speedily complained of, and the importa tion be restricted to the raw material. Possibly the legislature may, at some lei sure moment, turn its attention to this subject.
The Mt, or pocket-violin, is a small in strument intended for the use of dancing masters, &c. : it differs in no respect from the above description, except in the poorness of its tones, which are by no means pleasant ; owing to the want of space for placing the fingers, it is ex tremely difficult to perform well on the kit.
We scarcely know with what to class the Humstrum, which consists of a large lath made into a bow, by means of a very thick piece of cat-gut, such as the string of a double bass : on this string a bladder is affixed. The humstrum is played with
a bow, rubbed with rosin, the same as for the violin, &c. and the notes, which, how ever, are few in number, are made by shifting the fingers, or occasionally the bladder : we believe this instrument is used. only among the vulgar, and that it is very nearly obsolete.
All the violin class have four strings, fastened at one end to a small piece of ebony, called the tail-piece ; and, after passing over a raised bridge, made of sea soned beech-wood, (particularly the back of old instruments) and over a little ridge, called the nut, are fastened respectively to four pegs, made of very hard tough wood, by the turning of which they are put in tune : all the strings give fifths to their neighbours throughout : thus the first string is E, the second is A, the third is D, and the fourth, which is a covered one, is G. The tenors and basses have no E string; but a C one, added below the G. The notes are made by com pressing, i. e. by what is called stopping, the strings on a rounded strip of ebony, called the finger-board, which proceeds from the nut, full four-Mii of the dis tance between that and the bridge : the latter being always placed on the belly, or sounding•board, exactly bettieetiathe centres of two sound-holes, which are in the form of an 5 : the belly is supported by a small piece of rounded deal, called the sounding•post, without which the tones would be imperfect and harsh. The invention of sounding-boards appears to have been taken from the echeia, or vases, placed among the audium, and es pecially near the performers, in the an cient theatres, for the purpose of reso nance. See OaCtIESTRA.
The whole of those instruments, which are retained in modern use, are occasion. ally to be found collected in an orches tra; but for a military band, such only can be adapted as are portable, and are not subject to lose, or to change their in tonations, or to be injured in the open air, or whose casualties could not be immedi. ately made good. Hence all stringed instruments are unfit for the latter pur pose.