[Having learnt to play the bell-harp, William Hutton considers a more difficult instrument]

Wishing to rise, I borrowed a dulcimer, made one by it, then learned to play upon it.

[…]

I quickly was master of this piece of music; for if a man can play upon one instrument, he may soon learn upon any.

A young man, apprentice to a Baker, happening to see the dulcimer, asked if I could perform upon it? Struck with the sound, and with seeing me play with, what he thought, great ease, he asked if I would part with the instrument, and at what price? I answered in the affirmative, and, for sixteen shillings. He gave it.

I told him, “If he wanted advice, or his instrument wanted tuning, I would assist him.” “O no, there's not a doubt but I shall do.” I bought a coat with the money, and constructed a better instrument.

Seeing him a short time after, “Well, how do you succeed?” “O rarely well. I can play part of Over the hills and far away.” This excited a smile of satisfaction in both.

Our next meeting produced the same question, to which he replied, “O damn the music, I could not make it do; which provoked me so much, that I took a broom-stick, and whacked the strings till I broke them; then knocked the body to pieces, and burned it in the oven.”