RINGING ROUNDS.
To ring-in rounds, it matters little which bell is taken to perform upon, as each takes its place in proper turn, whether it be first, middle, last, or any other position, which will be very well understood if the new ringer has practised, as he should do, rounds upon hand bells.
Musical hand bells are the most handy for the practice of time, place, and position, and should accompany every ring of church bells anywhere and everywhere for this purpose, so much may be practised upon them in the quiet and comfort of a home fireside. But in ringing rounds on the bells of the church in the tower, every bell must be set at the start, and should be brought round to the hand stroke, as shown in the [cut] on page 15. When all the company are ready—whether four, five, six, eight, or more in number—the leader or conductor will say “Ready”—”Go,” upon which every one will start off in proper order and time, looking at the ringer preceding as to when to pull off, by turning his eyes or head, not his body, and keeping the ears open, so as to be in time and order in striking. The treble (or highest note) bell, in all church bell ringing, is understood as being No. 1, whether there be a ring of three, four, six, eight, ten, or twelve bells; and so, presuming a ring of eight, the bells will be rung in rounds in the order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the hand stroke; then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, on the back stroke, and repeated in the same way or method to any length, at will or pleasure.
Should there be only six bells in the ring, they will be rung to the call of the leader as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, at the hand stroke; then 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, at the back stroke, and so for any number of bells.
Note.—Any number of bells from 3 to 12 in a tower is called a “Ring of Bells.”
Thus it will be seen the usual practice in ringing rounds, is to ring down the scale, as it is termed in the art of music; or, in other words, from the highest to the lowest note, or down to the bell with the deepest tone. There is no reason, however, but custom to prevent the reverse order (or ringing backwards, as it is put in “Bonnie Dundee”) being adopted, used, or tried, either in practice or purpose;[2] and to make a change in the following of place or position in ringing, it is not at all a bad move to reverse the order of custom, and so ring in the order of 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, hand stroke; 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, back stroke; and after say twelve to twenty rounds resume the first order or exercise down the scale, viz., 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. (of course, this is quite a matter of taste, and if not approved can be passed over). Then it may be well for all to pull or strike together, so as to fire a volley, at both hand and back strokes, and in such practice the whole company should be as much together as when the captain’s call of “Fire!” is responded to by a company of soldiers, with their rifles, shot, and powder.