and can
justly claim as his work nine-tenths of the improvements made in the
organ during the last twenty years. Truly have these words been used
concerning him--"the greatest mind engaged in the art of organ-building
in this or in any other age."

Every organist fully acquainted with his work endorses it, and upwards
of thirty organ-builders have honored themselves by writing similar
testimony. The Austin Organ Company, of Hartford, Conn., says: "We
have taken considerable pains to study his system and to satisfy
ourselves as to the results he has achieved. There is, we find, no
doubt whatever that he has effected a complete revolution in the
development of tone."

Sir George Grove, in his "Dictionary of Music and Musicians" (p. 551),
says: "No reference to this description of action [electric] as set up
in recent years would be complete without mentioning the name of Mr.
Robert Hope-Jones. * * * The researches in the realm of organ tone by
Mr. Hope-Jones and others who are continually striving for excellence
and the use of an increased and more varied wind-pressure (ranging from
3 to 25 inches) all combine to produce greater variety and superiority
in the quality of organ tone than has ever existed before."

Elliston in his book on Organ Construction devotes considerable space
to a description of the organs built by Hope-Jones in England and
Scotland, and says: "The Hope-Jones system embraces many novelties in
tone and mechanism."

Matthews, in his "Handbook of the Organ," referring to the Hope-Jones
instruments, says:

"In his electric action Mr. Hope-Jones sought not only to obtain a
repetition of the utmost quickness, but also to throw the reeds and
other pipes into vibration by a 'percussive blow,' so to speak; being
in this way enabled to produce certain qualities of tone unobtainable
from ordinary actions. Soundness and smoothness of tone from the more
powerful reeds, and great body and fullness of tone as well as depth
from the pedal stops, are also noticeable features in these organs."

Ernest M. Skinner, of Boston, used the following words: "Your patience,
research and experiment have done more than any other one agency to
make the modern organ tone what it is. I think your invention of the
leathered lip will mean as much to organ tone as the Barker pneumatic
lever did to organ action, and will be as far-reaching in its effect.

"I believe you were the first to recognize the importance of a low