Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-02
INSCRIPTIONS ON BELLS.

Bells generally had DIous inscriptions.
which, before the time Of the reforma-
ton, were usually IN Lstin, and addressed
to God, or to patron saints and, since
then in English, and addressed to man,
with occasional exceptions. A few, ss-
lected from the many that have been
copied by antiquariss in bell literature,
viii serve IS curious specimens. A very
common one was in there words:
,funera plango, hguTa hango, SAbbato pango.
EKc'to ientos, dissipO yentos, paeo eruentos.h
This, "undone into English, !" az Cole
ridge said, reads thus
a mourn AZ funersIs, break the lightning I
proclaim the sabbath.
hasten the tardy, dispsrse he wiudz, calm
{ the turbulent"
There are very many variations Of this
inscription. The following Is often found
on old bells:
"Deum yeruIa Iaudo, ple0em vOeo. eerum con-
Defunct0s PloFo, Pestem rago, fiesta deeoro,"
In Eoglish:
al praise the true GCti. 7 call the ueopla ron
{ Vene lhe clergy,
mourn me dead, I scatter pestfsnce, grace
fesi tvals."
Durham Cathedral mas 8 bell with thIs
three-fold legend:
"a To esn the folks TO church in time.
when mgrth and pleasures on The wing
Andwhea The body leaves the sou
toll"
On another we find:
When do ring, :.
Gods praises sing
When do toll,
Pray heart and soul
Inscriptions like these were very conn-
mon In medieval times: F" Hail, MARY.
null Of grace pray for Us; ~ .'Saint Pc
Ter, pray for us " and so on through the
whole list OF patron saints. In the
seventeenth century, legends SIMILAR in /
character to these we're frequent so !
man, le meeke, and 1--WE in rest; y 4
=" Geve thanks to God !; F." and
-, swsetly tOlling men do call
10 taste on meate that feeds the souIe."
Chimes Of bells have been used to per
petuste historical events, as with the
chime in st. Helsn's Church. in Wor- /
cester, England, which was cast in the
tine OF Queen Anne; seven Of the eight .
belle give eouPlet TO victory, while /
the eighth thus sums up the record
QUEEN ANNE.
60 tn immortal praises OF queen Anne I
sound,
With union blest and all these slorIes
IL GASscAf A4G6AaAu, there - a cul06
which has curious Inscriptions those on
two OF the small bells are in these words
On one
mean TO make it understood
That thoagn I'm little, yet I'm good
On the other
@Hyou have ludIcious ear,
You'll own my voice Is sweet and clear"
Good taste and accuracy in expression
were not always secured (; for instance.
In the following eouplet, which Ia not
In old chimes:
lam the arsf, although but small.
will be heard above you all"
And In this:
II you would know when we was run.
II was March the twenty second, I7Ut
This last brings to mind q modern in
,criptiOD, as remarkable for bad TASTE As
any before given. It is-On one Of eight !
bells in the church tower Of Tilton, De- /;
gon;
Rscast by John Tay' or q Son, J
no the nrst prize for enurcn bells won
At the Great Ex-h I'll on
In London, 1-s-5 and l." Z
In city in Massachusetts, \ prourfe-
or OF some celebrated patent medicine ]
gave one OF the bells for q 8
,hime 10 be placed In 3 church tower. 6
When the bell came Il had the name Of
he donor and ais medicines in bold let
ers on its side. Good taste was dis
urbed, and the obnoxious lettering was I
hisseled of b