BELL. 



Bell. perity ; and so exemplary for temperance in his per- 

 v "^ sonal conduct, that, amidst all his successes, and with 

 all the licence of a military life, he was. never intoxi- 

 cated with wine, nor suspected of unchastity. See 

 Gibbon's Hist, of the Rom. Empire, vol. iv. 4to, 

 p. 127, 182. ; Ancient Un. Hist. vol. xvi. and xix. ; 

 Mod. Un. Hist. vol. xiv.; and Denina, Delle Revolu- 

 zioni d' Italia, (y) 



BELL. If any definition be required of what is 

 so well known, and in such general use as a bell, it 

 may be "an inverted vas_, which, struck with a clap- 

 per, is employed singly as a signal, and when com- 

 bined, either in churches or as a musical instrument." 



The size, weight, and figure of bells are arbitrary; 

 but a large bell is usually one-fifteenth of its diame- 

 ter in thickness, and twelve times its thickness in 

 height. The shape of bells is different in different 

 countries, being more cylindrical or conical in one 

 than in another ; and having evidently originated in 

 cymbals or basons, it is probable that from remote 

 ages to the present times, there may have been a gra- 

 dual progression from a flat circular plate to a figure 

 nearly approaching a cylinder. The gravity and 

 acuteness of tone are, perhaps, regulated by the same 

 conditions affecting the sound of tubular wind instru- 

 ments ; for we know that the greater the capacity, the 

 deeper or more grave is the sound. Thus we learn, 

 that a bell of large dimensions in Moscow yields 

 a grand and solemn tone; and when rung, a deep, 

 hollow murmur, resembling the lowest notes of a vast 

 organ, or the rolling of distant thunder, vibrates all 

 over the city. 



The substance of which bells are made, likewise, 

 produces a difference in the tone. Glass is one of the 

 most sonorous bodies, and is formed into bells, though 

 not ad pulsationem ; we have heard also of wooden 

 bells in the East ; but throughout Europe they are 

 invariably made of a compound of copper and tin, 

 called bell metal ; to which silver is occasionally 

 added. All metals are more or less sonorous accord- 

 ing to figure ; even lead, which in most forms is 

 mute, rings loudly in the segment of a sphere: and 

 so favourable is this shape to sound, that it is main- 

 tained, had our ancestors been acquainted with the 

 fact, all our bells, instead of being hollow vases in- 

 verted, would have been so many segments of metallic 

 spheres. The vibration of every metallic plate is ana- 

 logous to that of a bell, and if sufficiently ductile, 

 may be moulded into one by simple pressure : thus 

 the imperceptible transition from cymbals to bells 

 is at once evident, and easily accounts for that va- 

 riety of form to be seen in different countries. 



With regard to the tone produced by one kind of 

 metal compared with another, Mersenne, a very in- 

 telligent author on the subject, affirms it to be as 

 follows : 



Metals. 



Metals. 



Lead . . . . 

 Bismuth . . . 

 Common Tin 

 Pure Silver . 

 Pure Tin . . 



Weight in Air. I Weight in Water. |Sound. 



2oz. 28$ grains 1 Joz.lsc.4gr. 

 ljoz. 34 gr. lloz.lsc.31gr. 

 |lioz.25igr. loz.lsc.6gr. 

 l^oz. 31 gr. loz.2sc.31gr. 

 [loz.l8c.30gr.loz. l*sc. 6gr. 



194 

 213 

 253 

 256 

 263 



Common Silver 

 Bell Metal . . 

 Regulus Stibii 

 Pure Copper 

 Mixed Copper 

 Brass .... 



437 



Weight in Air. Weight in Water. Sound. 



l^oz.lsc.24gr 



1-Joz. lsc. lgr. 



1 oz. 



1 oz. 6sc.45gr. 



lioz.isc.17gr. 



4oz. ^sc.9^gr, 



Common Gold,2oz.27igr. 



ljoz. 



loz. l-|sc.4gr. 



|oz.3sc. 



loz.41gr. 



1 oz. \ sc. 4 gr. 



lioz.70gr. 



loz.7sc.50gr. 



Cell. 



266 

 269 

 270 

 282 

 285 

 294 

 294 



The figure of the bells with which this experiment 

 was made, approached to that of a large hollow segment 

 of a sphere, being sixteen lines of internal and fifteen 

 lines of external diameter ; and being oneline and a quar- 

 ter thick in the lip. Each bell resembled another as 

 much as possibly could be effected in the fabrication, 

 and their specific gravity also afforded an approximation 

 towards more accurate results. The figures represent 

 the tones, the greater number being the more acute, 

 and the smaller the more grave. Thus it appears, 

 that lead is the most grave, and that brass and gold 

 produce an equal tone or unison. Expressing this in 

 musical notes, the tone of a brazen or golden bell 

 forms the sharp seventh above that of a leaden one. 

 It is not evident that the Europeans are acquainted 

 with the most sonorous composition for bells : one 

 known by the Chinese, which we find in their gongs, 

 infinitely surpasses it. The same nation has musical 

 instruments composed of metallic plates extremely 

 sonorous. In ancient history we read, that Charle- 

 magne, while expressing his admiration of the tone 

 of a bell made by an eminent artist, was addressed by 

 the artist himself, soliciting a quantity of pure cop- 

 per, and requesting that, instead of tin, he should be 

 provided with at least an hundred weight of silver : 

 With these materials, he engaged to cast such a bell, 

 that the one which the emperor admired should seem 

 mute in comparison with the other. 



Bells, both ancient and modern, have been applied 

 to purposes sacred, superstitious, or profane. They 

 are undoubtedly of very great antiquity, being fre- 

 quently mentioned in sacred writ ; and, in particular, 

 Moses ordained the under part of the blue tunic of 

 the high priest, worn at religious ceremonies, to be 

 adorned with pomegranates and gold bells intermixed. 

 Commentators suppose that it was for the purpose of 

 announcing his presence, or that he was entering the 

 sanctuary. Nevertheless, there is much controversy 

 concerning the bells, or tintinnabuli, of old ; and 

 many are induced to suppose, that in general cymbals 

 should be understood. Neither is it agreed what are 

 the names by which the ancients signify bells : but 

 by both ancients and moderns, it appears that they 

 were called Tintinnabulum, Petasus, Codon, Nola, 

 Lebes, JEs, ^Eramentum, Squilla, Crotalum, Signum, 

 Cloca, Campana. All these received their names, either 

 from the place where they were invented, or from their 

 shape, or properties; and it seems generally admitted, 

 that tintinnabulum, among the ancients, signifies a 

 bell similar to those we now use; while campana is 

 a name belonging to the middle ages. 



The Greeks were acquainted with bells : At Athens 

 the priest of Proserpine rung a bell to call the peo- 

 ple to sacrifice ; and those who went the nightly 



