Record

Reference numberPP/3/22
Previous numbersPP/35/23
LevelFile
TitlePaper, 'On the function of the sound-post and on the proportional thickness of the strings of the violin' by William Huggins
Date1883
DescriptionHuggins writes: 'Sir John Herschel says: “It (the bridge) sets the wood of the upper face in a state of regular vibration, and this is communicated to the back through a peg set up in the middle of the fiddle, and through its sides, called the ‘soul’ of the fiddle, or its sounding-post.” Savart says: “L’âme a pour usage de transmettre au fond les vibrations de la table .... son diamétre est determiné par la qualité du son qu’on veut avoir; il est maigre quand elle est trop mince, et sourd quand elle est trop grossest."' He describes a series of experiments 'made for the purpose of ascertaining whether it be any part of the function of the sound-post to convey vibrations to the back, or whether this post acts solely as a prop supporting the belly, so that its elasticity is not injured by the pressure from the strings, and also, as Daguin states, affords the firm basis which he considers necessary for one foot of the bridge.'

Annotations in pencil and ink. Includes three printed diagrams.

Subject: Physics / Sound

Received 21 May 1883. Read 24 May 1883.

A version of this paper was published in volume 35 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the function of the sound-post and on the proportional thickness of the strings of the violin'.
Extent16p
FormatManuscript
Diagram
Physical descriptionInk and graphite pencil on paper
Digital imagesView item on Science in the Making
Access statusOpen
Related materialDOI: 10.1098/rspl.1883.0040
Fellows associated with this archive
CodeNameDates
NA7376Huggins; Sir; William (1824 - 1910); astronomer1824 - 1910
NA8238Herschel; Sir; John Frederick William (1792 - 1871); astronomer1792 - 1871
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