Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. My father was under great obligations to my uncle John, and was afraid, especially just at that time, of disobliglng him. My uncle’s pride took the alarm; and after marking his disapprobation, he asked with contempt, Do you mean to make a fiddler of the boy? My practice on the violin therefore ceased; and it is perhaps worth remarking, that, though I could play so well before I was six years old, I had wholly forgotten the art at the age of seven; for, after my master left me, I never touched the instrument. In the days of m youthful distress, I have sometimes thought, with bitter regret, of’ the absurd pride of my uncle.