There was one remarkable old bass in the choir, by name Stocks. He had a tremendous voice, and one day nearly frightened me to death. It was soon after entering on my duties, and an anthem of Kent's was being sung. There is a quartet to the words, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness," and this went on nicely enough until the ascending passage to the words'" And the power, and the victory, and the majesty" was reached. At the words " and the majesty," Stocks and the choir on his side broke in fortissimo, Stocks .giving out a top E flat on a broad Lancashire a on the word "majesty" which nearly blew my head off. It was a bit of dramatic effect which was understood at Manchester, but for which I was not prepared. I told Stocks of the effect it produced on me, and he was delighted. One of the men told me Stocks used to drive a coal-cart when young, and that before I came he often sang an anthem by Spohr, beginning, " Come up hither," pronouncing the opening words, "Coom oop," just as he did in his old coal-cart days. << less