1786] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 1 8/ 



You will meditate on all this and do with the proposed addition in 

 the preface as 3'ou think best, only do not delay it for sending me 



proofs In the paragraph of the preface beginning "When in 



the course of divine Providence, it pleased Almighty God that these 

 American States, etc.," a few lines afterwards you have the words 

 "these States" a second time, dele the repetition of "these States." 

 You will supply all the omissions of words, etc., in this letter, for as 

 usual I put off sitting down to write you till within an hour of the post 



going of. 



Yours, etc., 



Wm. Smith. 



Rev. Dr. Smith to Rev. Dr. White. 



Chester, March, 17S6. 



With respect to our friend Mr. Hopkinson's hymns, that for first 

 Thursday in November is only another arrangement of some of the 

 verses of the same psalms which stand in my collection for the same 

 day, and whether for the better or worse, you only can'tell, as I have no 

 copy of those I sent you before, and to which you have given your 

 general approbation. If this hymn of Mr. Hopkinson's collection is all 

 he intends for first Thursday of November, it is very defective, or at 

 least, as there will be psalmody twice if not oftener on that day, we 

 should have more than one hymn ; and I leave the matter wholly with 

 you, if the 'business is not already finished, being persuaded that you 

 will not break in upon the arrangement I had (with great application) 

 made without some good purpose in view. 



As to the Fourth of July. The hymn offered by Mr. Hopkinson is in 

 many parts far too flat for the great occasion, and no way equal to what 

 I have taken from Psalms 81 and 68. Thus — Wax darkening slX the 

 land — God brings nations to decay — Willing ratrcy Jiew — Yiow good i\\Q. 

 Lord has been — and also in the hymn for November — "Grass for our 

 cattle to devour ^^ — although taken from Tate and Brady, does not read 

 clever : it represents the poor animals as ravenous and dying of hunger, 

 so as to devour z\\ before them, instead o{ feeding happiiy said contentedly 

 upon plenty. 



The lines from Psalm 81 (for July 4th), which are in the collection I 

 sent you, ending thus — 



Your Ancestors with lurongs oppress'df 



To me for aid did call, 

 With pity I their Sufferings saw — 



And set them free from all — 



have far more in them than all that is proposed in their room (if it is to 

 be in their room) or if to be added, would be superfluity. There can 

 be no objection to the words " with wrongs oppressW^ — for it is stronger 



