1 68 LIFE AND CORRESrOXDENCE OF THE \}7^^ 



see the first proof-sheet of the singing psalms before it is worked off. 

 I hope Mr. Hall is now upon it, and I wish not to delay him. 



I enclose you a collection of hymns to follow the psalms, and which 

 I have every reason to believe will be a great recommendation of our 

 Prayer Book to multitudes of our most serious and religious members. 

 The Methodists captivate many by their attention to Church music, and 

 by their hymns and doxologics, which, when rationally and devoutly 

 introduced, are sublime parts of public and private v/orship. I have 

 arranged the hymns under proper heads, have chosen the best I could 

 possibly find, and have spent several whole nights this last week in 

 copying them for the press, abridging them where it could be done, 

 and correcting some of them in a few places. I shall be happy if they 

 meet with your approbation and save you some trouble in this part, as 

 you have had far more than your share in other parts, which it was not 

 in my power to ease you from, on account of my many late calls from 

 home. 



The number of hymns is more than I expected when I sat down to 

 collect them ; but I see none that I could wish to leave out. On the 

 great festivals of the Church, there should be some variety, at least 

 three or four, and of different metres, to complete the psalmody of the 

 day. 



There are about eight hymns yet wanting, which I hope to send you 

 r.ext post, viz. : Hymns or Psalms for a Public Fast, Meditational 

 Hymns on Death, Funeral Hymns, a Hymn on the Last Judgment, and 

 a Hymn on Immortality, exhibiting a Glimpse of the Kingdom of 

 Glory. But on these last two awful and exalted subjects, I know not 

 where to choose. They far transcend the power of our common class 

 of poets, and those of the greatest genius have left them unsung, at least 



in that kind of verse which is proper for psalmody singing 



psalms, that those portions of them of hymns, are adapted 



to particular occasions of service, thanksgiving, etc., as July 4th, the 

 first Thursday in November, etc., are not to be printed in their place 

 with the other psalms, which are selected for common use. Should any 

 of them be chosen on any other occasion than those to which they are 

 adapted among the hymns, the clerk and congregation can turn to them 

 where they stand. The hymns and psalmody both together will not be 

 near so long as the former psalmody by this plan, unless your new 

 arrangement should lengthen them somewhat. The hymns will not 

 require two half sheets, but were it more, they will pay for themselves in 

 the sale of the book and in the satisfaction which Christians in general 

 will derive. Few will grudge a dollar if, with the addition of hymns 

 and tunes, etc., we think that should be the price. You Avill not forget 

 to take Addison's 23d Ps. from Spectator No. 441 — his nineteenth from 

 No. 465, to be inserted among the psalms under their proper metres. 



