8589357132

CHAF. IV.

ON RINGING CHANGES ON THE BELLS.

Having explained how the hunting course is pricked on paper,

I shall now endeavour to explain how these changes may be produced on the bells. In ringing rounds each man has simply to follow the ropę of one particular beli, but in ringing changes it is obvious that the order in which the ropes rise and fali will be continually altering. Each ringer has, therefore, to follow first one ropę and then another; and so on. It is the power of observing these alterations of the ropes, and of finding out which of them he has next to follow that is reąuired of a man in ringing changes. It will be easily understood that it is possible, when this abi lity is acąuired by a set of ringers, for each beli to be so pulled at the proper interval after the one immediately preceding it, that not only may changes be produced, but that they may be struck as accurately as in round ringing.

This power of noticing the ropes, and finding out and follow-ing the right one, is termed “ ropę sight, ” and it is the faculty of being able to pick out the beli which has to be followed, that is the foundation of all change-ringing. It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to point out that when I use such an expression as “ observe which beli follows you,’’ I allude to the ropę of the beli. It is obvious that the fewer che number of bells which are rung in changes, the easier it is for a man to observe their different positions and for this reason I recommend Jearners