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The following drawing explains the position necessary for a good, quick, and correct performance:

The wrist must neither be perceptibly raised nor lowered ; it should be kept, without constraint, at a level

with the hand and arm.

The knuckles must neither be raised so as to form a hollow in the hand nor bent inwards, but must be

kept in a natural position, on a level with the back of the hand.

The forepart of the fingers -must be gently rounded, not, however, so much so that the nails, which

should be kept moderately short, touch the keys. The hammer of the piano acts with more readiness and

certainty when pressed with the tip of the finger than with the flat lower surface.

The third and fourth fingers, however, should not appear to be quite so much rounded as the others,

but should be a very little more extended, thus :

The wrist must neither be perceptibly raised nor lowered ; it should be kept, without constraint, at a level with the hand and arm.

The knuckles must neither be raised so as to form a hollow in the hand nor bent inwards, but must be kept in a natural position, on a level with the back of the hand.

The forepart of the fingers -must be gently rounded, not, however, so much so that the nails, which should be kept moderately short, touch the keys. The hammer of the piano acts with more readiness and certainty when pressed with the tip of the finger than with the flat lower surface.

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The third and fourth fingers, however, should not appear to be quite so much rounded as the others, but should be a very little more extended, thus :

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Let the thumb be stretched horizontally so that the forepart shall be upon a level with the key, and the key itself struck by its outer surface. The thumb must never be permitted to hang down or to rest upon the key-board.

The centre of gravity of the hand in playing should fall towards the thumb.

The position of the hand generally ought to be perfectly easy and natural, otherwise no good style of playing can be attained.