or examine too closely the exact position that Jasper held. In
answer to a question on this subject, Mr. B. Luard-Selby,
the present organist of Rochester Cathedral, writes thus:

We have never had in the choir of Rochester Cathedral
such a musical functionary as Dickens describes in _The
Mystery of Edwin Drood_. The only person approaching
Jasper in the choir is one of the lay clerks who looks
after the music, but who of course has nothing to do
with _setting_ the music for the month. I don't think
Dickens had much idea of church order or of cathedral
worship, though he may have gone over the cathedral
with a verger on occasions. The music of a cathedral
is always in the hands of the precentor, assisted by
the organist.

It is Edwin Drood himself who says that Jasper was lay precentor
or lay clerk at the cathedral. He had a great reputation as a
choir-trainer and teacher of music, but he is already weary of
his position and takes little notice of words of eulogy. He was
well acquainted with the old melodies, and on one occasion we
find him sitting at the piano singing brave songs to Mr. Sapsea.

No kickshaw ditties, favourites with national enemies,
but ... genuine George the Third home brewed,
exhorting him (as 'my brave boys') to reduce to a
smashed condition all other islands but this island,
and all continents, peninsulas, isthmuses, promontories,
and other geographical forms of land soever, besides
sweeping the sea in all directions. In short he rendered
it pretty clear that Providence made a distinct mistake
in originating so small a nation of hearts of oak,
and so many other verminous peoples.

We have a different picture of him on another occasion, as
he sits 'chanting choir music in a low and beautiful voice,
for two or three hours'--a somewhat unusual exercise even for
the most enthusiastic choirmaster. But this was before the
strange journey with Durdles, and we can only guess at the
weird thoughts which were passing through the musician's mind
as he sat in his lonely room.

We have only a brief reference to the choir of Cloisterham
Cathedral. Towards the end we read of them 'struggling into
their nightgowns' before the service, while they subsequently
are 'as much in a hurry to get their bedgowns off as they were
but now to get them on'--and these were almost the last words
that came from the Master's pen.

_A