And then after
all this learning came references to poor ignorant Fenella Stanley's
letters and extracts from them.
In one of these extracts I was startled to come upon the now familiar
word 'crwth.'
'De Welch fok ses as de livin mullos only follow the crwth on Snowdon
wen it is playde by a Welch Chavi, but dat is all a lie. Dey follows
the crwth when a Romany Chi plays it as I nows very wel, but de
chavi wot play on the crwth, shee must love the living mullo she want
for to come, and de living mullo must love her.'
And then followed my father's comments on the extract.
'_N.B._--To see and hear a crwth, if possible, and ascertain the true
nature of the vibrations. But there are said to be only a few crwths
in existence; and very likely there is no musician who could play
upon them.'
Then followed a few sentences written at a later date.
'The crwth is now becoming obsolete; on inquiry I learn that it is a
stringed instrument played with a bow like a violin; but as one of
the feet of the bridge passes through one of the sound-holes and
rests on the inside of the back, the vibrations must be quite unique,
if we remember how important a part is played by the back in all
instruments of the violin kind.
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