We can read the characters of some by the way they ring a bell. The important little Mr. Bailey, when he goes to see his friend Poll Sweedlepipe (_M.C._) 'came in at the door with a lunge, to get as much sound out of the bell as possible,' while Bob Sawyer gives a pull as if he would bring it up by the roots. Mr. Clennam pulls the rope with a hasty jerk, and Mr. Watkins Tottle with a faltering jerk, while Tom Pinch gives a gentle pull. And how angry Mr. Mantalini is with Newman Noggs because he keeps him 'ringing at this confounded old cracked tea-kettle of a bell, every tinkle of which is enough to throw a strong man into convulsions, upon my life and soul,--oh demmit.' The introduction of electric bells has been a great trial to those who used to vent their wrath on the wire-pulled article or the earlier bell-rope, which used not infrequently to add unnecessary fuel by coming incontinently down on the head of the aggrieved one. What a pull the fierce gentleman must have given whose acquaintance Mr. Pickwick made when he was going to Bath! He had been kept waiting for his buttered toast, so he (Captain Dowler) rang the bell with great violence, and told the waiter he'd better bring the toast in five seconds, or he'd know the reason why. Dickens rang far more changes on the bells than there is space to enumerate; but I have shown to what extent he makes their sound a commentary on innumerable phases of life. A slight technical knowledge of bell phraseology is found in _Barnaby Rudge_ (7), where he mentions the variations known as a 'triple bob major.' Finally there is an interesting reference in _Master Humphrey's Clock_ to a use of the bell which has now passed into history. Belinda says in a postscript to a letter to Master Humphrey, 'The bellman, rendered impatient by delay, is ringing dreadfully in the passage'; while in a second PS. she says, 'I open this to say the bellman is gone, and that you must not expect it till the next post.' In the old days it was the custom for the letter-carriers to collect letters by ringing a bell. There is no doubt that a most extraordinary, certainly a most original, musical effect is that secured by Mr. George (_B.H._), who had just finished smoking. 'Do you know what that tune is, Mr. Smallweed?' he adds, after breaking off to whistle one, accompanied on the table with the empty pipe. 'Tune,' replies the old man. 'No, we never have tunes here.' 'That's the "Dead March" in _Saul_. They bury soldiers to it, so it's the natural end of the subject.' Surely a highly original way of bringing a conversation to a close! This march is referred to in _Our Mutual Friend_, where Mr. Wilfer suggests that going through life with Mrs. Wilfer is like keeping time to the 'Dead March' in _Saul_, from which singular simile we may gather that this lady was not the liveliest of companions.