“The treble violin is a cheerful and sprightly instrument, and much practised of late, some by book, and some without; which of these two is the best way, may easily be resolved. First, to learn to play by rote or ear, without book, is the way never to play more than what he can guess by seeing and hearing another play, which may soon be forgotten, but, on the contrary, he which learns and practices by book, according to the rules of musick, fails not after he comes to be perfect under these rules, which guide him to play more than ever he was taught or heard, and also to play his part in concert, the which the other will never be capable of, unless he hath this usual guide. “These rules of music are in a plain method, as it shows in the first six chapters of this book, the which being perfectly understood, viz., the notes of the scale or gamut, which directs the places of all notes, flat and sharp, by which are pricked all lessons and tunes on the five lines, thus distinguishing of the several parts by their cliffs, as the treble, tenor, and basse. Lastly, the names of the notes, their quantities, proportions, and rests, according to the rule of keeping time, etc. There then remains two things to be instructed in, how the violin is strung and tuned, and secondly, to give you directions for the stopping the several notes, both flat and sharp, in their right places. Then, first observe that this cannot be expressed in words unless on the neck or finger-board of the violin there be set five or six frets, as is on the viol. This, though it be not usual, yet it is the best and easiest way for a beginner, for by it he has a certain rule to direct him to stop all his notes in exact tune, which those that do learn without seldom attain so good an ear to stop all notes in perfect tune. Therefore, for the better understanding of these following examples, I shall assign to those six frets on the finger-board of your violin six letters of the alphabet in their order” (here follow examples), after which he says: “These few rules (and the help of an able master to instruct thee in the true fingering, and the several graces and flourishes that are necessary to be learnt by such as desire to be exquisite hereon), will in a short time make thee an able proficient.” These quaint instructions would hardly suffice to meet the requirements of modern violin playing, but it is interesting to observe the rules and precepts laid down for the student’s guidance over two hundred years ago. Observe also the recommendation of frets for accuracy in stopping the notes.