268.--THE PEAL OF BELLS.

A correspondent, who is apparently much interested in campanology, asks

me how he is to construct what he calls a "true and correct" peal for

four bells. He says that every possible permutation of the four bells

must be rung once, and once only. He adds that no bell must move more

than one place at a time, that no bell must make more than two

successive strokes in either the first or the last place, and that the

last change must be able to pass into the first. These fantastic

conditions will be found to be observed in the little peal for three

bells, as follows:--

1 2 3

2 1 3

2 3 1

3 2 1

3 1 2

1 3 2

How are we to give him a correct solution for his four bells?

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