The Fiddle Family—the Epigonion—the Semicon—the Plectrum—the Magadis and Sambuce—Orpheus and the lyre—the Plectrum an implement of percussion, not a bow—the Egyptian Chelys—Orpheus at Versailles—the fidicula of the Latin Dictionary—Welch claims—Crowd and Crowder—Instrument of the Saxon Glee-men—Strutt’s sports and pastimes—Italy—Successive stages of the invention—the Sounding-board—the neck—the bow—the Rebec—the viol—conversion of the viol into the violin—the tenor viol, &c.—chest of viols—Cremona fiddles—Hieronymus Amati—Galilei’s dialogues—claim of the Neapolitans—violins and organs in Verona in 1580—Corelli’s Violin, and Annibale Caracci—Piccoli Violini alla Francese—Monteverdi’s _Orfeo_—Mersennus—the Barbiton—the Kit—the Musurgia of Luscinius—the Rebec and Viol-di-Gamba—Violars accompanying the troubadours—Saxon word Fidle, German Videl, Icelandic Fidla, &c.—Fythelers of the old English romances—passage from the Life of St. Christopher—Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales—Absolon, the parish clerk—the ribible—the violin in low esteem before the Restoration—minstrels included among rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beggars—Percy’s reliques—King of the minstrels—Butler’s Hudibras—Crowdero—France—sculptures on the portal of Notre Dame, in Paris—the Decameron—Michele Todini—the first to introduce the Double Bass—Arms of the Town of Alzei—Inhabitants called Fiddlers—Cushion Dance described—Hone’s table book—Miss Hutton’s Oakwood Hall—Punch and the fiddler—‘a regularly educated Zany’—Purcell’s catches—Epigram upon Young, father and son—Anthony à Wood’s Autobiography—the Restoration favourable to music—the Violin introduced at Court—Matthew Lock, master to the Court band—Cambert, Lulli’s predecessor—the music of the drama: act tunes—arrival of Nicolo Matteis—first music-engraving in England—‘Musick’s Monument,’ and Thomas Mace.—_pp. 1, et seq._ CHAPTER II. THE ITALIAN SCHOOL.