New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-21
FROM CAMBRIDGE, TITS
CHRIST CHURCH CHIMES.

For several days past the chimes" jest put up in
Christ Church. the Oldest and INTELLECTUALLY best OF
our churches has occupied the attention Of the people
of Cambridge to the neglect of nearly all other topics
Whether the bells would ring in harmony whether,
if they had that essential capacity any one could be
found to develop it--whether the old tower Of the
church could ustsin the jar produced by such volume
of sound within its limits, and other questions
of equal Importance, we're answered afrmatveIy yes.
terday morning. Unlike the kid that began to CO."
of nursery rhyme memory the man began TO play the
BELLE the bells began to sing the tunes the tones be-
gan to the tower and the tower did not begin TO 90
20 ali were sstisfed. =,
belfry Ike ,he Memnon of DID, it answered, playing
Dec Uolente" and sfterward the glad hymn Christ
the Lord is risen day." fOllowedby cod Hundred
and Coronation"
For myself sleeping, or rather now waking nearly
nj der the shadow of the tower felt like the Ancient
Mariner, that the air full Of sweet sounds. For
several dsye, wherever L passed the church, had
through the open window tue round gray sdes o
the bells closely nestled together, and looking much
like flock Of bircs of different sizes, with only their
breasts showing, and their heads under their wings
poor thirgs," rOosdng. Now they had taken A1ghs,
and the air seemed TO be full OF them.
Sometimes, sdroppus from the shy,
s1n ssiGS -: ii ii It.s S L: ,h.. arc
How they ed to FIJI the sea and air
With their sweet jrgonins!
And now Z was like all ina.rumens-
Now like lonely hute
And now it Il an angels song
That makes the heavens be mute"
Law in sort of half dream, delightful bat incredu
louH that the quiet air Of old University town,
never stirred by anything more exciting than the
"burrsh p of the students on Commencement Day,
was reslly to be made vocal whenever we pleased by
those charming little upper notes. and the soft deep
middle and lower ones The sounds ceased till again
at the time Of the ringing OF the first bell for Sun
day School, the pleasant music again hosted on tue
still morning air. and they continued to play at inter
vale throne hOut the whOlo daV.
Groups of people stood upon the Common, chalses
drove ont from Boston, ard the gentleman who had
charge of getting the bells walked complacenty up
and down.
The idea of chime" was started five years ago by
Richard H. Dana it,, Francis NJ. Bachelor aud Henry
NJ Parker esqrs A circular was at that time sent 70
graduates of Harvard College in all Parts of the Unon
asking them TO subscribe 10 the Harvard Chimes The
call was but partially responded to- and Mr. Bachelor
dying soon AFTER and Mr. Dana leaving on his travels
tie chief devolved upon Mr.. Parker In the An.
tumn of 1853 the ladies Of Cambridge held fair to
further the object from which about 81 900 was real
lied. In addition 10 this, donations were made by va
rious individuals, and Henry Hooper Co. OF Boston
commenced the founding Of thirteen bells. The
number first proposed was eigh but from
the interest taken in the subject the Committee
felt justified in increasing it. Many delays
hndered their completion; but at length the sufficient
money raised, and, all beog finished several
weeAe since in anticipation OF hanging them, me ola
tower was Strengthened to bear their weight and tho
jar from ringing them, by iron supports AID new tim
bers, which altogether cost about $500. The bells
were hung ready Tor playing last week, except the
tongues which not put in until Saturday night,
lest some mil chevous person might amuse himself by
striking them before the proper time.
The largest bell weighs 900 pounds; the smallest
300 and the aggregate of the whole is tuns The
cost of them ali about S. 100. The eight largest
sound by tongues Suspended In the inside OF EACH and
the Eve smaller ones are struck by hammers They
arrau ged to be played in three keys: g. e. and g.
Each bell bears an inscription The third from the
largest recast from the old bell Of the church that
resented 10 it in l76l by Edward Cahil Alder
man Of London. 1t cracked in 1925, and wss melted
over in that year. and now third time we'd bears
the name of the original donor, with short Latin in
scfpu0n
The second from the largest was bought with money
given by Thomas Dowse the famous leather dresser,
and has engraved on is: Let the name of Tho mas
"Dowse be remembered. The liberal man devlseth
" literal tbiDgs."
Ore of the bells was given by the founder, Mr..
Hooper. All, except the second and third, have
words on them from the "Gloria in Excelsis' -tne
smallest only "Amen."
believe this chime has larger number OF bells
than any other in the United States. There IS one tn
Boston on Christ Church, one In Portland, one IN
Lowell at NJ, AIMS Church, and one a. Holmes
Hole. Each OF these has eteht bells,
The famous chime of Bow Bells IN Lonaon, auu
the one at Cambridge in England, have but t"e1os
bells each but the great chime at Antwerp mas W.
They are very numerous throughout EUROPE. among
the most famous are those at Amsterdam ana LouVNu
LopRftow says that ours remlnds him IN us tonss o,
enc In Belgium In the hamlets OF Switzerland ana
Iay the soand Of the small village chime hoas iowa
the blsde at twilight, but rarely IN tunes = tney
nearly always peal" -, .L.,o o,a
few OF distinction.
Chimes like clock-work, probably had their origin
In (,.rman monasteres during the middle ages: Ioe
frat one Ia said 10 have been made ut Aost in the
Netherlands 10 1887 The chime mechanism Is some
times 80 constru tied that it can be played ike piano.
bat with the st instead Of the fingers. This is COW
ertd with leather, that the blow the key may DO
APP led foIcibly Difficult ss the performance IT,
some PLAY ers can execute compositions consisting OF
trls and a,peggios. Burpey relates that the chime
player Seheppen laid wager with able performer
on the violin that he would execute difficult solo for
the violin with the bells, aud won his wager. Pot
thsf organift and chime player at Amsterdam, DO
ssma Hind I'M his ssvsnth vsar ard ra.a;vaS bs