Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1876 — On Bells. [ARTICLE]

On Bells.

The number of changes that can be rung on a peal of bells is almost incredible. It would take niuety-one years to ring the changes upon twelve bells at the rate of two strokes to a second; the changes upon fourteen could not tie rung through at the same rate in less than 16,575 years, and upon four-and-twenty they would require more than 117,000 billions of years. In 1790 the Westmoreland youths ran" a complete course of 5,040 peals—called by the mysterious name of grandsire triples—in three hours and twenty ‘minutes. This was considered a gigantic performance, but it was fairly eclipsed by the men of Kidderminster, who rang tbe changes in three hours and fourteen minutes —a feat which seems incredible, comprising as it does 1,267,453 separate strokes or rings. Truly there were giants in the land in those days. But the bell-ringing of England, however scientifically and powerfully performed, is a mere meaningless jingle compared to the beautiful carillons of the Continent ; indeed the art as practiced in England belongs peculiarly to us, the Continental bells being almost universally played by keys. At Amsterdam, about tbe year 1600 was born one Franz Hemony, who may safely be styled the very king of bell-founding, since he it was who wrought tbe colossal peals of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Utrecht, etc. Hjs name is frequently found inscribed on the Holland bells. The bells are gigantic musical notes. At Utrecht there are forty-two, at Antwerp over one hundred. The general number is from thirty to sixty, but in tbe Tower of Les Halles, at Bruges, is the finest carillon in the Low Countries—perhaps in the world. "It was on these bells, “ low and loud, and sweetly blended,” that Longfellow wrote his carillon, as he lay—- “ In Bruges, at the Fleur De Ble, Listening with a wild delight To the rhlmes that through the night Bang their changesfrom the belfry Of that quaint old Flemish city.” Hemony arranged his bells in tiers. Six or eight of the largest baas bells were liung on the first floor of the belfry, perhaps 150 toet up the tower; higher still, among many an airy arch and solid buttress, hung ten or twelve smaller ones; highest of all, far away, a dim, dizzy height, hung twenty or thirty more. These stupendous peals are sounded by means of a cylinder, on the principle of a barrel organ, or played by keys by a musician. Every tone and semi-tone is represented, and the most delicate harmony; the grandest chorals, and most intricate figures can be executed bn these bells. But what a giant in conception and power must be the musician who presides over this colossal harmony; what a sense of unlimited command over the power of sound as be thunders out sonorous grand chords, stately solemn melodies, gentle cadences of ringing mirth, or soft floating phrases like a dream of silver bell; what a sense of supreme sway, as the grand music rolls over the country for mites and miles, filling the air with its wonderftil grandeur and beauty, and causing the heart to swell with emotion at the unutterable sptondor of the music wluch seems to float up to heaven and die among' the’stars! —The Argotv.

•Rhode Island savings banks returns allow faLßll,jsp due depositors, a gain - of $3,500,W00 over the previous year. The depositors number 101,635. V y-\ k wr.,