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the violin was looked upon in England as rather a vulgar instrument. Even in the eighteenth century Stradivarius had an invoice of violins, which he had sent to England, returned to him with the information that London was not accustomed to paying as much as five pounds for a violin!

The viols alluded to above had generally six strings each, and were fretted, like a guitar. We present herewith a picture (taken from a contemporaneous print) of the viol da gamba of Shakespeare's time, and need only add that the treble viol was just half the size, while the tenor stood between the two in size and compass.

The contrabass existed in England at this time, but was called the "violone;" the word "violoncello" is a derivative of this, meaning the "little violone." One of the curious musical conceits of the Elizabethan days was to cut a door in the back of the violone and introduce a small boy into the instrument; at the concert the contrabass player would render the bass part on his instrument, would sing the "mean," or middle part, and the invisible boy would add a treble, a trio with but one performer in sight.

Many are the allusions to the viols in Shakespeare's works. In "Twelfth Night" (Act i. Sc. 3), Maria calls Sir Andrew Aguecheek "a fool and a prodigal," whereupon Sir Toby Belch defends him with:

"Fye, that you'll say so! he plays o' the viol-de-gamboys, and speaks three or four languages word for word without book, and hath all the good gifts of nature."

It was therefore part of a liberal education to play upon the viols; in fact, many a wealthy gentleman kept his chest of viols at hand for guests to divert themselves with music.

Pericles (Act i. Sc. 1), addressing the daughter of Antiochus, says:

"You're a fair viol, and your sense the strings;

Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,

Would draw heaven down, and all the gods to hearken;
But, being play'd upon before your time,
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime:
Good sooth, I care not for you,”

comparing unruly passions to disordered viol music.

The Duke of Norfolk (in "Richard II.," Act i. Sc. 3), upon hearing his sentence of banishment, bursts forth:

"A heavy sentence, my most sovereign liege,

And one unlook'd for from your highness' mouth :

A dearer merit, not so deep a maim

As to be cast forth in the common air,

Have I deserved at your highness' hand.

The language I have learned these forty years,

My native English, now I must forego:

And now my tongue's use is to me no more,

Than an unstringed viol or a harp;

Or like a cunning instrument cased up,

Or, being open, put into his hands,

That knows no touch to tune the harmony."

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