unknown in this country, such as the vox humana, cremona, double bassoon, and block flute, of which we may mention the latter as appearing in almost all his organs; he also experienced that opposition which invariably acts as an advantageous stimulant, alike to the artist and the public, his great opponent being Renatus Harris, likewise a veteran in the cause, of whom we shall have occasion to speak presently.

Before entering into any account of Father Smith's organs, we would clearly place before our readers the extent of the instrument in his day. At the commencement of his career the swell was entirely unknown (being introduced by Jordan, 1712, of whom we shall have something to say in due course), so that, as a rule, there were only two rows of keys, viz., the great and the choir, to which was sometimes added an echo organ, bringing the number of claviers up to three as the maximum. The compass was from G G to C 2 in alt. The separate pedal organ was unknown, as were, of course, composition pedals.

The great work which brought Smith's name so prominently to the front, and which has since remained as a worthy monument to his memory, was the organ erected in the Temple Church. The Master and Benchers of the Temple, being desirous of obtaining a suitable instrument for their church, and, receiving tenders from Smith and Harris, were unable to decide to which of these worthies they should consign the task of furnishing the desired organ. With legal sagacity they perceived the advantages arising from emulative opposition, and it was arranged that each should build an instrument, place it in the church, and then, after fair trial, competent judges should pronounce which was the superior; by which decision the Benchers were willing to abide. The organs being built, and Smith and Harris obtaining their several champions to play thereon, it could not be agreed which was really the better; more stops were added to each, and eventually Father Smith obtained a memorable victory and a formidable enemy, his being declared the finer instrument. In a most interesting work by Edmund Macrory, M.A., called "A Few Notes on the Temple Organ," will be found a full account of the discussion from beginning to end, and also quotations from some documents much after the style of Dallam's agreement.

Smith's organ contained twenty-three stops, and the extraordinary addition of quarter tones,* A flat and D sharp being distinct from G sharp and E flat. The pipes were much crowded to get them in the space

* Extra divisions of the octave have since been attempted from time to time, but the complications necessary were found to render precise manipulation so difficult that the idea has been practically abandoned. The Temple organ had fourteen divisions in the octave. An organ built by Messrs. Glyn and Parker, for the Foundling Hospital, had sixteen divisions; Hawkes' patent, seventeen; and Liston's enharmonic organ had as many as fifty-nine divisions in the octave, twenty-four of which were on the keys, and the rest governed by pedal arrangements.

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provided, but the organ has been reconstructed by Mr. Robson, who not only enlarged the plan and brought it up to modern requirements, but also added many important stops, and it still ranks as one of the finest organs of the metropolis, the musical services of this church, under the able direction of Mr. Hopkins, being among the first attractions of their kind in London.

Father Smith acquired such fame by this instrument, together with one he built for Durham Cathedral, that he received orders to construct one for St. Paul's Cathedral. This organ was not superior to the one at the Temple, and, therefore, we shall merely mention that the present instrument contains a double-diapason and a block flute (large fifteenth) of Father Smith's manufacture, together with part of the original case, perhaps some of the best work of Grinlin Gibbons.

It would be quite impossible in a work of this kind to specify all the organs attributed to Smith. We shall therefore confine ourselves to two more, viz., that of St. Catherine, Leadenhall-street, and the one at St. Peter's, Tiverton, Devon. It is an odd fact that Smith had almost always to contend against some adverse forces, and his work at St. Catherine's proved no exception, as he had to decrease the dimensions of his case to allow room for the charity children on either side thereof. Nevertheless the organ was a success, and is still a remaining instance of beautiful design. It was also noted for having the best swell in London, though that was not added by Smith, but probably just after his death.

As regards the organ at St. Peter's, Tiverton, it has a most interesting history, and will serve to show the vicissitudes to which an instrument is liable in its advance towards perfection. There has been some doubt as to whether it was built by Father Smith or his nephew, but Snetzler said it contained work by each of these, and it is probable that Christian Smith carried out his uncle's half-finished designs. It was originally purchased by subscription in 1696, and placed in the rood-loft. The organ bears the name of "BERNHARD SCHMIDT on one of the front panels. In 1776, Paul Micheau repaired it, and gilded, probably more correctly re-gilded, the front pipes. After which a swell was added by Green. In 1826 it was removed to a West-end gallery, and in 1842 a pedal organ was added, consisting of a double open diapason. In 1845 the whole instrument was carefully repaired by Bishop, Green's swell being removed and another substituted. It is probable that about this time a solo organ was added, but this has since disappeared. In 1856 it was placed in a chamber in the north aisle, in which situation it suffered materially from damp. In 1867 it was entirely rebuilt by Mr. Henry Willis, and now consists of a great swell, choir, and pedal organ, respectively, containing in all thirty-three speaking stops, of

which an open diapason in the great, a similar stop in the swell, as also a gemshorn, are of Smith's work. The original case remains, in the upper part of which is a row of Smith's pipes unused (a block-flute), as mentioned in Chap. II.

Smith was not only a builder, but also a performer, holding the position of organist at St. Margaret's, Westminster, up to his death, which happened, probably, in the year 1708. Before leaving Father Smith we must state that he was an indefatigable toiler at his art, building many instruments which have been scattered the length and breadth of the country, though there is much attributed to him that should be probably allowed some more recent artist. He was unquestionably the greatest builder of his time, and fully deserves the praise that is so freely accorded him as a careful, shrewd workman, who never sacrificed his labour and work to cheapness, never constructing an instrument except in accordance with his own views and experience, rather relinquishing an order than runuing the risk of erecting an organ that was not thoroughly praiseworthy, and perhaps to this quality more than any other he owes the secret of his universal success.

We shall now pass on to another great builder, who was only little inferior to Smith, and who was nevertheless his formidable rival on almost all important occasions.

Renatus Harris was originally of English extraction, but his family having migrated to the Continent, he again crossed to England with his father, whom he succeeded; and, having to compete with Dallam and Smith, had at first but little success, but gradually gaining ground, he at last established himself in this country on a firm footing, and was recognised as a most able builder. Perhaps it was the fracas over the Temple organ which brought Harris to the front more than anything, for not long after he was employed to supply an instrument for the cathedral at Salisbury, succeeded by one given to the Dean and Chapter by George the Third, built by Green, which now is replaced by an entirely modern one by Willis. Harris built many organs for the metropolis, one of the finest of which is still to be heard at St. Sepulchre's, Snow-hill; perhaps his next best being in the same vicinity-Christ Church, Newgate-street. Both these organs have been more or less altered, especially the latter, which has been rebuilt by Mr. Hill, and is now a truly magnificent instrument; the old cases remain, and are interesting specimens of design. Harris settled in Bristol towards the latter part of his career, building many fine organs for that city and the neighbourhood, and dying about the year 1715.

He left a son, John Harris, who entered into partnership with John Byfield, and by their united efforts they turned out some good work,

among the most noted of which must be mentioned that of St. Mary Redcliffe. It is described in Barret's History of Bristol as "being in all 53ft. high from the ground to the top of the crown panel; the great case, about 20ft. square, contains one great and lesser organ whole cost £846 7s."

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But a better account of it was found on a handbill among the papers of the late Mr. John Allen, organist of St. Mary Redcliffe, signed by Harris and Byfield themselves. It runs as follows:

This instrument is concert pitch; the compass or extent of the great organ is from double-double C-fa-ut to D-la-sol in alt. complete long octaves, containing 63 keys, and has the following stops, viz., two open diapasons, principal, a grand sexquialtra of 5 ranks, a trumpet, a clarion, a cornet of 5 ranks, a twelfth, a fifteenth, and a tierce. The three last stops are only from double gamut to D-la-sol in alt. The chair or choir organ is from double gamut to D-la-sol in alt, being long octaves containing 56 keys, and has the following stops: A stop'd diapason, a principal, a flute almain, a flute, a bassoon, a grand sexquialtra of three ranks. The eccolos (which are made to swell or express passion) is from gamut to D-la-sol in alt, being 44 keys, and has the following stops: The open diapason, the stop'd diapason, a principal, a flute, a cornet throughout, a trumpet, a hautboy, a vox humana, and a cromhorn. This organ contains 26 stops and 1928 valuable speaking pipes, which are considerably more than either the organ in S. Paul's Cathedral or that of S. Martin's Church, in London, contain, and are as well performed in every respect, notwithstanding this organ cost no more than £1000, which is vastly less than the price of either of the others, although the compass of St. Martin's is only from gamut to D-la-sol in alt, and St. Paul's has, we think, only the two diapasons and trumpet so low as S. Mary Redcliffe, and neither of these stops contain either the double-double C-fa-ut sharp or double-double D-sol-re sharp, which are expensive pipes, besides the C sharp and D in alt are not in any of the stops of the St. Paul's organ, although it cost three times the price of Redcliffe.

N.B.-There are pedals to the lower octaves of this great organ, notwithstanding the touch is as good as need be desired, and there is an invention which, by drawing only a stop, makes it almost as loud again as it were before (or play in a double manner), though there are no new pipes added to the organ, or any keys put down by it. This great piece of work was completed within the time agreed upon, and was finished in little more than a year and a quarter, and was approved of as an excellent toned instrument.

According to this account, St. Mary Redcliffe was the first organ in England with pedals, though some authorities state that the pedals were added some time afterwards. It has since been renovated and restored by Mr. Vowles, of Bristol, to whom great praise is due for the careful manner in which the work has been executed. A full account of the present state of the instrument will be found in the "Bristol Church Guide," written by Mr. S. W. Lawson, the present organist, who also gives the past history of the organ.

These builders of course constructed many other instruments, which it would be impossible to particularise in a work of this calibre, we therefore pass on to Christopher Schreider, a German, who married one of Father Smith's daughters. He seems to have built several organs in the West of England. His chef d'œuvre was the organ at Westminster Abbey, though he also built an organ of some interest at Finedon, Northamp

* S. Colburn, publisher, Bristol.

tonshire, which has been wrongly attributed to Gerard Smith. It was opened on the 17th May, 1717, by Dr. Croft. Kent, who wrote so many beautiful anthems, was the first organist. It has been most judiciously restored by Mr. Holdich, who, in 1853, added pedal pipes, and in 1872 rebuilt it, retaining all the old work, together with the original case. In 1717 it consisted of a great, choir, and echo organ, the latter being from middle C to C in alt. The great and choir organs were what is called short octaves, i.e., the note below C C was G G. The following is the original specification :

The compass is now from C C to F in alt. on the manuals, and the instrument contains twenty speaking stops.

We mentioned just now that the swell was introduced previous to or immediately after the death of Father Smith, by "Jordan." It appears that Jordan was not brought up to the trade of organ building, but having a taste for mechanics, took up this art and invented the swell, which row of course is an essential to the instrument. The first swells or swelling organs were not constructed as they now are, with shutters, the crescendo and diminuendo effect being originally produced by causing the front of the echo-organ box to slide in a sash, like a window, under the control of a pedal. This clumsy arrangement continued until Green took the matter up, and introduced the Venetian swell, which yet remains to us much as he left it. Jordan's son followed his father's footsteps, and eventually entered into partnership with him. They produced some fine instruments, of which we shall mention two, viz., the one at the parish church, Southampton, and the one in the parish church, Yarmouth. The former has been restored and added to by Messrs. Bevington, and is now an average three manual instrument, containing about thirty-five stops in all. The latter was constructed in the year 1733, the original pipes are still in a good state of preservation. After passing through the hands of many builders, it was put under the able care of Messrs. Bishop and Sons, who have just finished alterations and additions, which place it among the first of provincial organs. It now contains fifty-three speaking stops, together with all the best inventions and accessories we can at