Year: 1874

| vice; it therefore serves only as mann
moth heirloom of which Russia i,
proud. Father LIE COmte, the Jesuit
missionary to China, speaks of chime
of bells at Pekin, nine in number, which
are more perfect than any he heard in
Europe. The largest bell weighed 19t
tons, and is true in tone and wonderful
in its position as bass to the eighteen
parts of the harmony. The Chinese
have an aptitude for the manufacture
of bells, and enjoy celebrity which
has been undisturbed until the last cen
| tury.


Chevalier Van Elewyck calls Belgium
the "classic land of BELLS with perfect
justness, for the family of Van den
Gheyns have carried to perfection the
science of bell making. That country
has been the scene of so much strife
that the bells of Belgium have had as
sociated with them strange and deep
significance, in addition TO their in
trinsic value. In all the fortified towns
the most important structure was the
bell-tOwer, which alike served the
friend or foe. So many tones struck
upon bell in quick succession told of
danger; the ascending notes of the
scale were a sign that their armies were





chime of bells told of utter loss. The
Belgium bells were valuable trophies,
being considered great acquisitions to
the musical treasures of any city.
Naming bells was an early custom,
and from the time of John KILL, 96S, il
has been preserved. In Germany it is
not unusual to hear the citizens say
''hOw loud Beethoven speaks this morn
lng," or Handel is in better tune" To
the unsOphisticated this is rather an If
reverent use of the dead masters
names, but this mode of perpetuating
the musician memory strikes a sympa-
thetic chord in OurOwn minds. Though
perhaps little irrelevant to the imme-
diate subject of music and the drama,
we wish To speak of some of the super
stitiOns which cluster about these
named bells, leaving the remaining
musical score of the subject unfinished
until future time.


As was habitual TO the ancient and
superstitious people of Italy. bells were
named at first after some departed
saint whose spirit was supposed to ring
the bell if its mission led it past the
tower. This was Il reminderOf the i'm
mediate presence of the departed, and
in Italy it is not unusual tn see at night
some devOut citizen cross himself and
whisper prayer as far OFF belltOne
is heard. They are wholly satisfied
that spirit has passed by and left a
heavenly message embodied in the one
note. Priestly agency and electricity
are a conjunction which the Italians are
slow to fathOm. Thus in Germany, if
bell is struck, especially at night out
of its usual routine of duties, the spirit
of Beethoven or Handel has been near
earth. If we picture what this super
stition must be to the enthusiast who
is poring over some uncOmpleted COM
position, we can readily see the intiu
ence which NAV lead him to feel that
the finger of inspiration has been laid
upon him, and that the mantle of the
master has fallen from heaven. We
would be 10th to rob any heart of this
belief in supernatural bell agencies and
in recOunting the above fancies we do
it with the ever-present feeling that 1t
would make life far less common place
if we could invest all music and musi
cal instruments with touch of the
world that is the dwelling place of
those great departed spirits whose
legacies are immortal and heaven-in
spired.