174 LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [1/86 



in (perhaps) the best verse of the psahii is rather too strong. I would 

 prefer something from Psahns 89 and 18, of which I shall send you a 

 sketch on a piece of paper. 



I forgot to mention when writing of the psalms, the order in which I 

 had arranged them. You know the four general heads we fixed on were, 

 Psalms of Praise, etc. ; Psalms of Prayer, etc. ; Psalms of 'J'hanksgiving, 

 etc. ; and Psalms of Instruction, etc. I found all would range under these 

 heads except a few, which I have thought best to put at the end under 

 these two heads : Prophetical Psalms, applied in the New Testament to 

 the character of the Messiah — and psalms composed during the want 

 of an opportunity of the public worship of God. If you propose any 

 alteration of this order, you will be pleased to set down minutely, the 

 psalms that suit any new heads you may propose. Notwithstanding the 

 impatience of the public (and I may add my own desire of having this 

 business out of hand) I very willingly stop the press this week, to com- 

 ply with your desire of seeing the first sheet of the psalms, before it be 

 worked off. Mr. Hall says it will be to no purpose to gp on composing, 

 as the preparing a sheet will not take him half the time of working it 

 off. The week, however, will not be wholly lost ; as to prevent it, I 

 have given him the tables for finding the holy days ; which take up just 

 a form. The Table for Easter I have adjusted to two Cycles of the 

 moon, adding the Epacts, Golden Numbers and Dominical Letters; the 

 present year begins a Cycle and the second ends at 1823. This space 

 makes a convenient page with our letter. I have omitted in this table 

 all the holy days besides Easter; because that being known, the next 

 table shows the others. In all other respects I shall print the said 

 tables, agreeably to Dr. Franklin's book,* which has them in the neat- 

 est way of any I have seen. This form will be our week's work. 



'^ The title of the book is as follows: 



"Abridginent of the Book of Common Piayer, and Administration of the Sacra- 

 ments, and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, according to tlie use of the 

 Church of England, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David. Pointed as they 

 are to he sung or said in Churches. London, Printed in the Year MDCCLXXIII." 



Dr. Franklin, in replying to Mr. Granville Sharp, who had written to him making 

 some inquiry as to the character of this book, thus writes: 



Passy, July 5, 17S5. 

 "Dear Sir: .... The liturgy you mention was an abridgment of the prayers, 

 made by a noble lord of my acquaintance, who requested me to assist him by taking 

 the rest of the book, viz., the Catechism and the reading and singing psalms. Tliose 

 I abridged, by retaining of the Catechism only the two questions, What is your duty 

 to God? J !7/dt is yotir duty to your )!ero-///>or ? w'nh Xhe'w an?.\vi:rs. The psalms were 

 much contracted, by leaving out the repetitions (of which I found more than I could 

 have imagined), and the imprecations, which appeai-ed not to suit well the Christian 

 doctrine of forgiveness of injuries, and doing good to enemies. The book was printed 

 for Wilkie, in Paul's Churchyard, but never much noticed. Some were given away, 

 very few sold, and I suppose the bulk became waste paper. In the prayers so much 



