Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LECTURE III. Gentlemen:—You understand the aim of our society includes the study of both musical and unmusical sound produced by the violin. It is not agreeable to admit other than musical tone as a possibility for the violin. Instinctively, we are wont to consider "sweetness" and "violin" to be synonymous terms. Even to speak of the "noisy" violin, is rasping to our sensory nerves, while enforced listening to such violins is positive torture. Under the heading, "Cruelty to Humanity," the sale and use of "noisy" violins should receive statutory prohibition. It is a lamentable fact that the most music-destroying sound can come from close imitations of the violin. The outward appearance of these fraudulent imitations is the trap set for the innocent purchaser. Because of appearances, the purchaser thinks himself in possession of a violin. Such deluded victims are today found in every direction. In the credulous ear of every one of these victims was sung that siren song, ' The violin always improves with age and use." In trying to apply this old song to the imitations of the violin, trouble begins. The victim's family is made to suffer from an attack of "nerves," and, his immediate vicinity is wholly avoided by Music. His industrious bow- arm is spurred to increased activity by hope of tone- improvement. Steadfastly and affectionately, he addresses that imitation as "old shell." The years roll by with no improvement in tone. Frequently gray-heads, with doubting mein, have brought these imitations tome. (Doubtfully,) "Doctor,canyou tell me what ails my old shell?" Rapidly I run the bent "sound" across the inner surface of the sounding-board, the rattle therefrom suggesting the tinner's cart on corduroy road. "Yes, sir, I can tell you." "What is it?" "It's fraud." As I r...