The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Let The Bells Ring Soft And Low

For Christmas

"Dark and dull night flie hence away,
And give the honour to this day
That sees December turned to May."
                                    R. Herrick.

Words: Julia Goddard

Music: Arthur H. Brown, Brentwood, Essex

Source: Arthur H. Brown, ed., In Excelsis Gloria-Carols for Christmastide (London: Thomas Bosworth & Co., 1885), Carol #22, pp. 46-48.

1. Let the bells ring soft and low,
Let the bells ring merrily;
Silver shines the Christmas snow,
Red the holly berries grow,
Raise your voices cheerily;
Sing as Angels sang of yore—
Peace and glory evermore —
And let the bells ring merrily,
Ring merrily, ring merrily.

Chorus:
Let the bells ring soft and low,
Let the bells ring merrily,
Let the bells ring soft and low,
Let the bells ring merrily.

2. Set the Christmas fire alight ;
By its red flames merrily;
Parted friends shall meet tonight,
Hands be clasp'd, and hearts be light,
Voices ringing cheerily;
Echoes of the glorious strain
Shepherds heard on Bethlehem's plain—
The while the bells ring
merrily, Ring merrily, ring merrily.

3. Ring a Christmas peal today;
Greet all people cheerily;
Own the gentle Christ-child's sway,
Who the wide world's toilsome way
For our sakes trod wearily;
Louder yet your voices raise
In a Christmas song of praise—
And let the bells ring;
merrily, Ring merrily, ring merrily.

Sheet Music from Arthur H. Brown, ed., In Excelsis Gloria-Carols for Christmastide (London: Thomas Bosworth & Co., 1885), Hymn #22, pp. 46-48.

let the bells ring soft pp 46-47.jpg (122186 bytes) let the bells ring soft p 48.jpg (58745 bytes)

Also found in Rev. Charles Gutch, ed., "New and Old: for Seed-Time and Harvest. A Parochial Magazine for All Readers." Vol. XI, No. 132. December, 1883. (London: J. T. Hayes, 1883), pp. 322-334.

Also appeared in the magazine "Home Words for Heart and Hearth" at an unknown date, likely 1882.

The quotation from Robert Herrick were the opening lines from the Christmas Carol, Dark And Dull Night, Flie Hence Away.

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