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the risk of being disapproved by some on account of certain hymns which may not exactly square with their views of doctrine. The present volume cannot expect to be free from this danger. But, though it has doctrinal limits, it is conceived and executed in no narrow spirit; and it appeals to large-minded Christians, who can cheerfully accept a great and general consent without exacting literal agreement with themselves every minor particular. The poetic element, though not to be placed on the same level of importance with the doctrinal, is yet of great moment, and it has certainly not been disregarded in this volume. But we must allow that here, too, no standard of opinion exists: and an Editor will always find it hard to satisfy the fastidious, and at the same time to obtain just appreciation from readers naturally indifferent to the beauties of poetry.

I have, for many reasons, been more free to exclude hymns than to include them. There was no obligation binding me to receive any hymn which, for whatever reason, I might not approve; yet I must own that some few have been inserted more in deference to the opinion of friends and to popular feeling than from my own individual liking. In no instance, however, have I gone so far as to accept a hymn on account of its supposed popularity, when I deemed it either gravely wrong in doctrine, or seriously faulty in style. Thus, on the former ground, I have, with some hesitation, omitted Watts's lines, 'When I can read my title clear,' &c., and, on the latter, I have excluded his wellknown hymn, 'There is a land of pure delight,' &c.: for, in this hymn, although the two first stanzas are good, and the two next not bad, the fifth and sixth, in which lie the pith of the subject, are so poorly and so incorrectly worded, that they effectually spoil the entire hymn.*

* The two stanzas in question are these:

O could we make our doubts remove,
Those gloomy doubts that rise,

And see the Canaan that we love
With unbeclouded eyes;

Could we but climb where Moses stood,

And view the landscape o'er,

Not Jordan's stream nor Death's cold flood

Should fright us from the shore.

Here, besides the ungainliness of the words, 'Make our doubts remove,' 'view the landscape o'er,' besides the poorness of the second line, too evidently framed for rhyme alone, the idea of climbing, metaphorically, where Moses stood, is strange and even absurd. But the worst confusion of thought is in the two last lines. For, although, in the second stanza of the hymn, it was said-Death, like a narrow sea, divides that heavenly land from ours,' yet the poet should have remembered that, when Canaan was introduced as the representative of heaven, the Jordan necessarily became the representative of death, and thus the words 'not Jordan's stream, nor Death's cold flood,' are reduced to the glaring tautology-'not death nor

As I have necessarily been restrained by various causes from inserting many good hymns, which came into my hands either printed or in manuscript, so I doubt not there are many others existing unknown to me: and some have met my eyes for the first time since these pages were in type.* I would therefore willingly hope that this may become the basis of a future collection, at once fuller and more select.

The Psalms are chiefly extracted from the Oxford (Parker), Cambridge (Deighton and Bell), and Cleveland Psalters. But they include also many of the best passages found in the two authorised Versions, and a few by other translators.

Of the Hymns, about a hundred, more or less, are translated from Latin originals of the Early and Medieval Church: nearly the same number from the Christian poets of Germany: the remainder are by various authors, of the English Church and other religious societies.

The Psalms and Hymns are arranged, according to their subjects, under the several seasons of the Christian year, regard being had not only to general topics, but also to the Epistles, Gospels, Collects, and sometimes to the Lessons of the Church. But, as most hymns are applicable to more than one season, and many to all seasons, I have subjoined to the Preface an Index of subjects, by reference to which the reader will discover at a glance all those which are suitable to each occasion. It were to be wished that a greater number of good hymns existed in the Church relating to the characters and events of Scripture, and also to the parables of the New Testament.

I have, here and there, but as sparingly as possible, used the license assumed by most hymnological editors, of adapting the original composition to the purpose of the work. I am not unaware that this license is condemned by some writers of authority; but it seems to me that a distinction may fairly be drawn in this matter. If the book in which the piece is incorporated have for its professed design to exhibit the thoughts and utterances of certain authors, then assuredly no liberties ought to be taken with the text: even blunders or vulgarisms must be retained. But if the end and object of the book be the edification and advantage of those who use it, as in the present case, the Editor must look at every composition in this point of view; and he will often have no choice before him but that of either altering or rejecting altogether. For instance, in the hymn beginning with the words, 'Lord, when we

death.' The admission of so faulty a poem into Hymn-books innumerable, shows how little critical acumen has been often applied to the selection of words proper to be used on the most solemn of all occasions. My opinion of this particular hymn does not impair the great respect I entertain for Watts, as a writer whose true poetic feeling can no more be questioned than his true Christian piety.

Among these I would especially name Canon Wordsworth's 'Holy Year.'

kneel before Thy throne, And our confessions pour,' there is something so very displeasing to my taste in the idea of 'pouring confessions,' that, if I were not free to change the expression, I must omit the hymn. In Campbell's beautiful lines on the Nativity (98), the angel choirs are called 'the glorious hosts of Zion,' a term which cannot be theologically justified: and a song is put into their mouths very different from the words of Holy Writ. Here, again, alteration or omission was the question at issue: and, even at the risk of deteriorating the poetry, I have endeavoured to improve the scriptural character of the piece. In translating Krummacher's striking lines (42), 'Allgemach aus Dämmerung und Nacht,' I have substituted for his two last lines (wie die sanften Lispel den Propheten einst auf Horeb's Felsenspitz umwehten) a totally different thought, thereby, I think, maintaining, what he had strangely violated, the parallelism of all the parts of his little poem. In Toplady's wellknown hymn, 'Rock of ages,' who would wish to keep such rhymes as cure power, dress-grace? In another composition of the same author (614), what reader of taste has not always been displeased with the opening line, Object of my first desire ?' Reasons of equal weight may be assigned for every other departure from the original words. Abbreviation has also been necessary in some instances: for it must be carefully borne in mind that every psalm and hymn in the volume has been chosen as proper to be sung, if not in the congregation, then in the family; if not in the family, then by the individual Christian.

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Partly on account of these alterations, and partly because I have been unable to ascertain the authorship of many compositions, which have come to me either in manuscript or through other collections, I have thought it right to publish the volume without appending the names of writers to their works. This, however, I confess to be a defect, which ought hereafter, as far as possible, to be supplied.

It is my pleasing duty to acknowledge, with deep gratitude, the liberal spirit in which numerous living authors have allowed me to use their compositions. It is almost invidious to select a few names: yet I cannot refrain from particularly thanking Miss Winkworth, the Authoresses of Hymns from the Land of Luther,' the Ven. Archdeacons Churton and Mant, Mr. Keble, Mr. Isaac Williams, the Earl Nelson, Dr. Bonar, and the Rev. A. T. Russell. My thanks are also due to the great Publishing Houses, which have kindly waived their claims in my favour. I owe much to the kind assistance of the Rev. E. J. Edwards, Vicar of Trentham, and of my old pupil and friend, the Rev. W. Walsham How, Rector of Whittington. Many other names are preserved by me in grateful recollection.

I cannot but recognise the probability, that, in so large a collection, some hymns may have been included without due license. In regard to

any such cases, I confidently appeal to the generous feeling of those whose rights I may have transgressed. My hope is, that, in composing and editing Christian Hymns, we have one common object, and that we can, therefore, cheerfully afford to lend each other a helping-hand: 'hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim.' At the same time I must distinctly add, that it would not be consonant with my feelings to derive any pecuniary advantage from a work of this kind, undertaken purely for the good of the Church. I have therefore made over any profits which may accrue to the Editor, to be equally divided between the two Societies for relieving the families of deceased clergymen ; namely, 'The Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy,' and 'The Friend of the Clergy Corporation' my Trustees for this purpose being the Rev. W. W. How, Rector of Whittington, and the Rev. T. B. Lloyd, Incumbent of St. Mary's, Shrewsbury.

If this book shall, in any measure, by God's blessing, help to promote Christian faith and love in the land, its end will have been fully answered. 'Ita Deus faxit!'

SHREWSBURY: December 31, 1862.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS.

[H. stands for Hymns: Ps. for Psalms.]

ADVENT OF CHRIST (First). Ps. 81, 82,

91, 93, 94, 95; H. 42, 79, 83-123.

(Second). H. 19-22, 26-33, 43-45, 58-
70, 841, 993, 1002-1008, 1010.
AFFLICTION (sent by God). H. 281, 286,
287, 289, 304, 307, 311, 482, 484,
485, 489, 493, 494, 497, 512, 633,
636, 641, 665, 1150, 1211.

(Uses of). H. 294, 307, 484, 488, 489,

1210, 1329.

(Comfort in). Ps. 7, 384, 386, 387; H.
405, 513, 535-538, 792, 793, 801,
1210, 1213, 1321, 1329.

(Prayers in). Ps. 1, 2, 3, 267, 383,

389-392, 397, 449-451, 474-481,

557-572; H. 396, 398, 400, 510,

511, 514-517, 641, 665, 666, 1223,

1224, 1225, 1342.

ANGELS. H. 1313-1316, 1318-1320.

APOSTLES. H. 1055-1059, 1061, 1063-

1070.

ARMOUR (of God; of Light). H. 23, 1042,

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401, 405, 406, 413, 414, 415, 422,
443, 445, 484, 501, 527, 530, 532,
539, 551, 1158, 1162, 1168, 1201,
1267, 1370, 1371.

CHILDREN (Christian). Ps. 45; H.
227, 229, 231, 235-239, 246, 253,
1140, 1141, 1198, 1199.

(Poor). H. 252, 254-257.

(Prayers of). Ps. 262, 263; H. 237,
238, 240-245, 247-251, 253, 255,
256, 860-863, 1141, 1209.

CHRIST (Divinity of). Ps. 931, 932; H.

85-88, 97, 99, 101, 107, 110, 111,
113, 116, 117, 121, 123, 661, 698,
715, 795, 963, 1000, 1314, 1414.

(Incarnation). Ps. 93, 94; H. 88,

108-113, 116, 119, 123, 379, 629,

699, 715, 719, 1007, 1412, 1414,

1415.

(Nativity).
1415, 1416.

(Circumcision). H. 142-145, 1417.

(Presentation). H. 183, 184, 185,

H. 96-123, 1412, 1414,

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