_From_ PRESCOTT HEWETT, F.R.C.S., _Surgeon to St George’s Hospital, late Professor of Anatomy to R.C.S._ _Aug. 28th, 1865._ “Having carefully examined the gymnastic exercises invented by Mr Edwin Ward Jackson for the due working of the fingers and hand, I have great pleasure in stating that I believe that such exercises will be of the greatest use, not only to musicians, but to every one who wishes to possess a perfectly free use of his hands. The power and the freedom obtainable by exercises such as these have been little thought of; but from what I have seen, I feel confident that Mr Jackson’s exercises, if rightly used, are destined to make the hand much more perfect for all its purposes than it really is.” * * * * * _From_ LUTHER HOLDEN, F.R.C.S., _Senior Lecturer on Anatomy at Bartholomew’s Hospital_. _Aug. 28th, 1865._ Since our last interview I have often thought and talked about the practical effect of your ‘Gymnastic exercises for the Fingers.’ On anatomical and physiological grounds, it is quite certain that these exercises are admirably calculated to liberate the ligaments of the fingers, and to give a freer play and increased vigour to those muscles upon which many of the varied and more independent movements of the fingers depend. “I have no doubt whatever that such exercises will be of the greatest service in educating the fingers of musicians, and thereby save them a great deal of time and trouble.” * * * * * _From_ RICHARD QUAIN, F.R.S., _Professor of Chemical Surgery in University College; Surgeon Extraordinary to the Queen_. _August 2nd, 1865._ I write to you upon the important facts you were good enough to communicate to me to-day, and to explain how they may be accounted for scientifically. Your proposal to exercise the hand and fingers, and your plan of systematically carrying out the proposal so as to be beneficial to musicians, are _both new_ to me. Judging on principle, and from a knowledge of what occurs in other parts of the body, I have no doubt that the system must be useful, for it will give increased mobility to the fingers and increased development and power to the small muscles—Lumbricales (the _musculi fidicinales_ of Cowper), and metacarpal interosseous, as well as indeed to the general flexors and extensors of the hand. In short, the exercises you propose will be to the hand and fingers what the ordinary gymnastic exercises are to the rest of the limbs. The result will be useful wherever the free play and vigour of the fingers are needed; would therefore, I anticipate, be especially advantageous to musicians, and I am inclined to add to painters and to writers also.” ... * * * * * _From_ ERASMUS WILSON, F.R.S.