The dancing snakes are carried in baskets throughout Indostan, and
procure a maintenance for a set of people, who play a few simple notes
on the flute: with which these snakes seem much delighted, and keep
time by a graceful motion of the head, erecting about half their length
from the ground, and following the music with gentle curves, like the
undulating lines of a swan’s neck. It is a well attested fact, that
when a house is infested with these snakes, and some others of the
coluber genus, which destroy poultry and small domestic animals, as
also by the larger serpents of the boa tribe, the musicians are sent
for; who, by playing on a flageolet, find out their hiding places, and
charm them to destruction: for no sooner do the snakes hear the music,
than they come softly from their retreat, and are easily taken. It is
imagined, that these musical snakes were known in Palestine, from the
Psalmist comparing the “ungodly to the deaf adder, which stoppeth her
ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so
wisely.”
When the music ceases, the snakes appear motionless, but, if not
immediately covered up in the basket, the spectators are liable to
fatal accidents.
_M. de Chateaubriand._
CURIOUS CONTEST ABOUT THE ERECTION OF THE CELEBRATED ORGAN IN THE
TEMPLE CHURCH, LONDON.
After the Restoration, the number of workmen in England being found too
few to answer the demand for organs, it was thought expedient to make
offers of encouragement for foreigners to come and settle here; these
brought over from Germany Mr. Bernard Schmidt and—— Harris; the former
of these, for his excellence in his art, and the following particulars
respecting him, deserves to live in the remembrance of all such as are
friends to it.
Bernard Schmidt, or, as we pronounce the name, Smith, was a native of
Germany, but of what city or province is not known. He brought with
him two nephews, the one named Gerrard, the other Bernard; and to
distinguish him from these, the elder had the appellation of Father
Smith. Immediately upon their arrival, Smith was employed to build an
organ for the Royal Chapel, at Whitehall; but, as it was built in great
haste, it did not answer the expectations of those who were judges of
his abilities. He had been but a few months here, before Harris arrived
from France, bringing with him a son, named Renatas, who had been
brought up in the business of organ making under him; they met with but
little encouragement, for Dallans and Smith had all the business of the
kingdom: but upon the decease of Dallans, in 1672, a competition arose
between these two foreigners, which was attended with some remarkable
circumstances. The elder Harris was in no degree a match for Smith;
but his son, Renatus, was a young man of ingenuity and spirit, and
succeeded so well in his endeavours to rival Smith, that, at length, he
got the better of him.
The contest between Smith and the younger Harris was carried on with
great spirit; each had his friends and supporters, and the point of
preference between them was hardly determined by that exquisite piece
of workmanship of Smith, the organ now standing in the Temple Church,
of the building thereof, the following is the history, as related by a
person who was living at the time, and intimately acquainted with both
Smith and Harris.
Upon the decease of Mr. Dallans, and the elder Harris, Mr. Renatus
Harris, and Father Smith, became great rivals in their employment, and
several trials of skill were betwixt them on several occasions; but
the famous contest between these two artists was at the Temple Church,
where a new organ was going to be erected, towards the latter end of
King Charles II.’s time. Both made friends for that employment; but,
as the Society could not agree about who should be the man, the Master
of the Temple, and the Benchers, proposed they both should set up an
organ on each side of the church; which, in about half a year, or three
quarters of a year, was done accordingly. Dr. Blow and Mr. Purcell,
who was then in his prime, showed and played Father Smith’s organ, on
appointed days, to a numerous audience; and, till the other was heard,
every body believed that Father Smith would certainly carry it.
Mr. Harris brought Mr. Lully, organist to Queen Catharine, a very
eminent master, to touch his organ, which brought it into such vogue,
that they thus continued vieing with each other near a twelvemonth.
Then Mr. Harris challenged Father Smith to make additional stops
against a set time; these were the Vox Humane, the Cremona, or Violin
Stop, the double Courtel, or Bass Flute, and others.
These stops, as being newly invented, gave great delight and
satisfaction to a numerous audience, and were so well imitated on both
sides, that it was hard to judge the advantage to either. At last it
was left to my Lord Chief Justice Jeffries, who was of that house,
and he put an end to the controversy, by pitching upon Father Smith’s
organ; so Mr. Harris’s organ was taken away without loss of reputation,
and Mr. Smith’s remains to this day.
Now began the setting up of organs in the chief parishes of the city
of London, for the most part Mr. Harris had the advantage of Father
Smith, making, I believe, two for his one; among them some are reckoned
very eminent; viz. the organ at St. Bride’s, St. Lawrence, near
Guildhall, St. Mary Axe, &c.
Notwithstanding this success of Mr. Harris, Smith was considered as an
able and ingenious workman, and, in consequence of this character, he
was employed to build an organ for the cathedral of St. Paul.
The organs made by him, though in respect of workmanship they are far
short of those of Harris, and even of Dalian’s, are justly admired;
and, for the fineness of their tone, have never yet been equalled.
Harris’s organ was afterwards purchased for the cathedral of Christ
Church, at Dublin, and set up there; but, some years back, Mr. Byfield
was sent for, from England, to repair it, which he objected to, and
prevailed on the Chapter to have a new one, made by himself, he
allowing for the old one in exchange. When he had got it, he would
have treated with the parishioners of Lynn, in Norfolk, for the sale
of it; but they, disdaining the offer of a second-hand instrument,
refused to purchase it, and employed Snetzlor to build them a new one,
for which they paid him seven hundred pounds. Byfield dying, his widow
sold Harris’s organ to the parish of Wolverhampton for five hundred
pounds, and there it remains at this day (i. e. 1778.) One of two
eminent masters, then living, were requested by the churchwardens of
Wolverhampton to give their opinions of this instrument, who declared
it to be the best modern organ he had ever touched.
_Sir John Hawkins’s Memoirs._