Ah - Now I can reciprocate Carey's kindness in filling me in on
Wyoming. [Of course, I had the '83 Boston book on the shelf right
behind this chair, but ... ]
 
An engineer friend years and years ago gave me a journal with a
piece on the engineering details of harpsichord plectra by one
E.O.Witt. I still have it, I'm sure, somewhere - I could tell
you where it was in my old shop, which I left 11 years ago. But
I digress ...
 
Sometime later, when I found myself rounding the northeast in the
van of a certain well-known Michegan builder, I realized I was just
down the road from Witt, so went to call. He was entertaining,
and astonished that anyone might have read, let alone remembered,
the piece on parabolic stresses in equally-strong beams and the
reverse.
 
Mr. Witt took the credit - or the blame - for the early training
of the certain well-known Michigan builder. HIs own instruments -
what I saw there was an interesting clavichord-like object - were
frankly modern, 'tho not at all in the germanic mode, and not
unmusical. I remember an impression of less than vigorous health,
and think I read not too much later that he had died.
 
Interesting to learn that there's a "copy" bearing his name. Would
Julia care to describe it further?
 
                                                        calhoun
 
I might have benefitted more, in the long run, by visiting the
monastery near Three Rivers.