As Stradivari left no record behind as to the number of pupils trained on his premises, or assistants who came perhaps as improvers, we are left to do our best in the way of inference. In the first place we may take up the acknowledged fact of his having turned out an enormous number of musical instruments during his very lengthy career; and it must be remembered that his energies were not centred alone in turning out magnificent violins, but that the viola, violoncello, double-bass, besides some of the then not quite obsolete viols of different sizes and fantastic forms, received his attention. These had to be produced at the requirements of his patrons, of whom many had probably not yet completely emerged from the misty musical atmosphere with which the fanciful forms with florid decorations seemed so intimately bound. Further, the fittings for them had to be made presumably on the premises of the maestro and not as at present in foreign parts. At the time there was not existent that extensive and special manufacture of bridges, tailpieces, tail-pins, and pegs that forms a large and significant branch of commerce at the present day. That the violin bridge especially was a production of the Stradivari establishment and not "made in Germany," is sufficiently indicated by its present form having been introduced by Stradivari. On comparing it with the different patterns of bridges that had been issued by the previous masters of Cremona, it will be seen at once that the master mind of Stradivari had effected improvements that have their counterpart in the designs of his violin patterns. We may notice the successful efforts at stability with simplicity, just enough of detail that would lend itself in completing the harmony of the whole design, while dispensing with every unnecessary angle or curve. Of the fingerboard and tailpiece we cannot speak in the same terms; the master seems to have accepted the manner of treating these parts as handed down by preceding generations from Gasparo da Salo, and thought there was no need for alteration. The design of the inlaid ornamentation on both these accessories, was, of course, of a kind with which the house of Stradivari would be identified and the execution also in accordance. Of the tailpin and pegs, with the decoration of both, the same may be said.