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one or two instances, he has borrowed a line from any other author; though, doubtless, in writing about ten thousand lines his memory may have unconsciously furnished him with a few lines, borrowed from others. Never, in a Psalm or Hymn, has he been willing to sacrifice sense to sound; nor does he conceive, that the necessity of rhyme has impaired the senti

ment.

The reasons of a multitude of changes cannot be given in detail; they may be comprised in a regard to rhyme, poetry, musical accent, sense, , and devotion. In Watts, Book II, H, 55; st. 5, the phrase "Good God;" and in Church Psalmody, p. 509 and 520, the phrase "Great God," have been altered, because, as no address to God followed, and they seemed to be mere rhetorical exclamations, it was not easy to discriminate between them and profane expressions.

In the 2d stanza of Heber's missionary Hymn, the sense is imperfect, and on this account, perhaps, Montgomery, in his Church Psalmist, has omitted the whole stanza. The author has ventured to correct the stanza; and, in all pieces, has made the changes, which seemed to be required.

This book has a greater variety of metres, than any other book of Psalms and Hymns: and an attempt has been made to adapt the metres to the subject. In the seven syllable trochaic measure there are 183 pieces; in the 6 and 4 measure it has 31. The Church Psalmody has, of the first, 108 pieces and, of the last, 5; and has in metres, other than the Long, Common, and Short, 230 or 240 pieces. This book has 368.

In the selected Hymns it will be seen, that many changes have been made, either to give rhymes to unrhymed lines, or to correct bad ones, or to produce a greater uniformity of accent, for the sake of the music, when it could be done without impairing an excellence more important.

To all his pieces the author has endeavored to give a lyrical character: he has endeavored to make them, in sentiment and form, suitable to be sung, and suitable for public worship. The emotions, expressed in an ode or lyrical piece, may be strong, however, without the utterance of alas,"" hark," and "oh," and without any address to God. There is no address to God in 65 of the 212 Episcopal Hymns. In fact as many as 40 of the Psalms of David contain no direct address to God: while yet they are lyrical, and indicative of pious emotions, some of them being inscribed to the chief musician. The soul in its deep affections dwells on the truths, or facts, which relate to God: and the consideration of these truths may occupy the greater part of an ode, while the out-burst of praise to God may be found only in the closing lines:-or these truths may occupy the whole of the piece without destroying its lyrical character. There may be deep emotion, which is not noisy. We must look to the sentiment, to the diction, to the imagery, to the structure of the piece, in order to determine its lyrical character. Some writers have maintained, that the 119th Psalm, being di

dactic, was not lyrical: yet if poetical structure, beautiful sentiment, fervent feeling, and constant address to God constitute an ode, that Psalm is an admirable lyrical composition. The author has given an entire version of it in the trochaic measure, as best adapted to express its character.

In versifying the Psalms generally he has endeavored to avoid the two extremes of being too literal and too paraphrastic in his version; but the latter error he deems more inexcusable, than the former. God, in his infinite wisdom, knows what truths to communicate, and in what manner; with what illustrations and accompaniments. If, then, the author should take a Psalm, and in what he calls a version should bring together solemn and interesting truths, derived, not from that Psalm, but from other sources; how could this be called a version of that Psalm? As, however, parts of some of the Psalms are historical and contain narratives of events, not adapted for Christian psalmody, or are otherwise not adapted to the purposes of lyrical composition; in these cases only the spirit of the Psalm can be given, or some one event may be selected and modified to Christian use. But where the Psalm is suitable for present use, the version should adhere closely to the original. By these views the author has been governed. He has endeavored to give rather copies than imitations of the Psalms.

Besides his own Hymns, he has made an ample selection of Hymns from the most interesting and valuable collections in the English language, and has endeavored to arrange them in a clear, well studied method, which is indicated at the top of each page. In respect to the adaptation of the music to the pieces of this book a Notice is annexed of Mr. NOYES, a Teacher of music. This book contains 1243 lyrical pieces; of these 660 are Psalms and 583 are Hymns. Of the Psalms 400 are original; of the Hymns 200; all of which have been written with a double regard to the laws of poetical and of musical composition; but with what harmony of these and with what melody and inspiration of song it is for the public ear to judge. Most happy must be that sacred minstrel, of whom it may be said, through the blessing of God upon his harping, as archbishop Parker said of David,

"With golden stringes such harmonie
His harpe so sweete did wrest,
That he relievd his phrenesie,
Whom wicked sprites possest."

BRUNSWICK, Maine, June 3, 1835.

EXPLANATION OF THE MARKS OF MUSICAL

ITALIAN.

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EXPRESSION.

In

middle; neither loud nor soft.
this way are to be sung the passa-
ges, which have no mark.

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loud.

middle loud, or a little loud.
very loud.

in a gentle, smooth, gliding manner.
with deep and tender feeling.
gradually becoming slower and
softer to the end.

increasing louder and louder.

diminuendo,

diminishing, softer and softer.

or dim.

staccato,

increasing, then diminishing.
diminishing, then increasing.
short, distinct, articulate.

at the beginning of a line contra-
dicts or counteracts the preceding
mark. In the middle, or at the
close, it denotes a pause, which
may be longer or shorter, as the
occasion may require.

NOTICE TO SINGERS.

The subscriber, in superintending the adapting of the music to this book of Psalms and Hymns, has had occasion to examine every stanza with reference to its being fitted to be sung, The tunes named need not always be used;—they are designed to express the general character of the tunes, which would be adapted to the piece. In respect to the Psalms, of the two tunes, which are mentioned, the first is taken from the "Choir," of Mr. Lowell Mason, and the second from the " Boston Academy's Collection," prepared by the same author. In the Hymns the first of the two tunes is taken from the "Boston Academy's Collection," and the second from the "Ancient Lyre" by Mr. Charles Zeuner:-which works, and especially the two last, are recommended to singers, where this book may be introduced. Yet many of the tunes, referred to, are found also in the Handel and Haydn Collection and in Mr. Gould's National Churcli Harmony. CHARLES J. NOYES. BRUNSWICK, June, 1835.

A TABLE of the HYMNS OF WATTS, as referred to Hymns in this book.

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