The round singing of the ancients, of which this game is a fitting illustration, is probably a relic of Celtic festivity. The burden of a song, chorussed by the entire company, followed the stanza sung by the vocalist, and this soloist, having finished, had licence to appoint the next singer, "canere ad myrtum," by handing him the myrtle branch. At all events round singing was anciently so performed by the Druids, the Bardic custom of the men of the wand. * * * * * In Lancashire-- "Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With cockle shells and silver bells, And pretty maids all in a row," is one of the songs the cottage mother sings to her child. The Provençal-- "Ding dong, ding dong, Ring the bells of St. John's. Now they are saying prayers. Why ring so high? 'Tis the little children in the sky!" * * * * * "Maids in white aprons, say the bells of St. Catherine's." * * * * * Every locality furnishes examples of bell rhymes. Selling the church bells of Hutton, in Lincolnshire, gave rise to this satire of the children-- "The poor Hutton people Sold their bells to mend the steeple. Ah! wicked people, To sell their bells To build the steeple." In 1793 Newington Church, London, was pulled down, the bells sold, and the sacred edifice rebuilt without a belfry. The children of the neighbouring parishes soon afterwards jeered at the Newingtonians. "Pious parson" (they sang), "pious people, Sold their bells to build a steeple. A very fine trick of the Newington people To sell their bells and build no steeple." In Derbyshire a large number of the churches have bells with peculiar peals-- "Crich has two roller-boulders, Wingfield ting-tangs, Alfreton kettles, And Pentrich pans. Kirk-Hallan candlesticks, Corsall cow-bells, Denby cracked puncheons, And Horsley merry bells." The bells of Bow Church ringing out the invitation to Dick Whittington to return to his master's house should not be forgotten-- "Turn again, Whit-ting-ton, Lord-Mayor-of London." In New York, U.S.A., the little school urchins sing a bell rhyme of-- "Hark, the merry bells from Trinity Charm the ear with their musical din, Telling all throughout the vicinity Holy-day gambols are now to begin." FOOTNOTES: [K] Or Coventry Cross. [L] Fine. [M] Rings. CHAPTER XVI. POLITICAL SIGNIFICATIONS OF NURSERY RHYMES. In 1660, when the Restoration of Charles II. took place, the great procession of State to St. Paul's Cathedral called forth this rhyme:-- "Come, Jack, let's drink a pot of ale, And I shall tell thee such a tale Will make thine ears to ring. My coin is spent, my time is lost, And I this only fruit can boast, That once I saw my king!"