ley, who "turned twenty four psalms into English odes, and made many religious songs." Supposing the first supplied number 132, from the last might be selected "the humble sute of a sinner," and "the lamentation of a sinner." T. B. Usually supposed to denote Thomas Bastard, but appears too doubtful to be applied to the Morning and the Evening Prayer. E. G. Initials unapplied, prefixed to Da pacem Domine. Anonymous. Of the prefixtures, Veni Creator, Veni exultemus, Te Deum, Song of the Three Children, Benedictus, Magnificat, Song of Simeon, Creed of Athanasius, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and Complaint of a Sinner. Of the affixtures, the Creed, Prayer to the Holy Ghost, the Lamentation and Thanksgiving. Some of these are attributed to Whittingham in the History of English Poetry, Vol. III. p. 163. To this detail of numericals may be subjoined comparative specimens of the psalmody. As an introduction I shall borrow part of Warton's just and appropriate observations, reviewing the translation as well with respect to the period of its first appearance, as also embracing the variation of an incumbered idiom arising from the lapse of time. "It is certain had they been more poetically translated, they would not have been acceptable to the common people. Yet however they may be allowed to serve the purposes of private edification, in administering spiritual consolation to the manufacturer and mechanic, as they are extrinsic to the frame of our liturgy, and incompatible with the genius of our service, there is perhaps no impropriety in wishing that they were remitted.-Whatever esti mation, mation, in point of composition, they might have attracted at their first appearance in a ruder age, and however instrumental they might have been at the infancy of the reformation in weaning the minds of men from the Papistic ritual, all these considerations can now no longer support even a specious argument for their being retained. From the circumstances of the times, and the growing refinements of literature, of course they become obsolete and contemptible. A work grave, serious, and even respectable for its poetry, in the reign of Edward the Sixth, at length, in a cultivated age, has contracted the air of an absolute travestie. Attempts have been made from time to time to modernise this antient metrical version, and to render it more tolerable and intelligible by the substitution of more familiar modes of diction. But to say nothing of the unskilfulness with which these arbitrary corrections have been conducted, by changing obsolete for known words, the texture and integrity of the original style, such as it was, has been destroyed: and many stanzas, before too naked and weak, like a plain old Gothic edifice, stripped of its few signatures of antiquity, have lost that little, and almost only strength, and support which they derived from ancient phrases. Such alterations even if executed with prudence and judgment, only corrupt what they endeavour to explain; and exhibit "motley performance, belonging to no character of writing, and which contains more improprieties than those which it professes to remove. Hearne is highly offended at these unwarrantable and incongruous emendations, which he pronounces to be abominable in any book, "much more a sacred work;" and is confident, that were Sternhold and Hopkins "now living, they would be so far from owning what is ascribed to them, them, that they would proceed against the innovators as CHEATS."* It is certain that this translation, in its genuine and unsophisticated state, by ascertaining the signification of many radical words now perhaps undeservedly disused, and by displaying original modes of the English language, may justly be deemed no inconsiderable monument of our ancient literature, if not of our ancient poetry." Hopkins is not traced later than 1556, but from the additions made, in his name, after 1561, there is little doubt he was living beyond that period, and was the ostensible editor of the complete version. Presuming this fact, notwithstanding in the above advertisement he expresses much cautious fear that his own performance might be fathered on the dead man, and so through his estimation to be the more highly esteemed;" yet he proves not equally tenacious upon reprinting the portion by Sternhold. Though the thirty-seven psalms are considered as the translation of his predecessor, the alterations are always to be traced in a greater or lesser degree. The following specimen is long but not incurious. By the alternate pages will be seen what was the real performance of Sternhold, and what the subsequent revision supposed by Hopkins.† Gloss. Rob. Gl. p. 699. This united testimony in favour of correct transcripts may be aptly applied, as unanswerable, to those who object to the servile copy of a text which they consider obsolete and unintelligible. †This can only extend to supposition. The question is every way doubtful, and to assert the revision entirely by Hopkins is inconsistent with the further language of the advertisement describing his own metre as not in any part to be compared with Ste-nhold's "MOST EXQUISITE DOINGS." If the "arch botcher" may be considered as the interpolating editor of the whole collection it would account for Corbet invoking the ghost of Wisdome to "patch us up a zealous lay, with an old ever and for ay, or all and some;" language that is not used in either of the pieces ascribed to him. (From (From the edition of 1551.) Quam bonus. Psal. Ixxiii. He wondereth how the foes of God doe prosper and encrease : How good is God to suche as bee, of pure and perfect hearte? And, free from all aduersitie, when other men be shente! [Conclusion.*] And loe, all suche as thee forsake, shall perysh euerychone, • The variation of the intermediate lines is very trifling. (rom (From the edition of 1561.) Psalme lxxiii. Tho Ster. The pphet teachet by his exa ̈ple, that neither the worldelie p'spitie of the vngodlie, nor yet the afflictio of the good oght to discourage God's children, but rather oght to moue vs to consider our father's prouidence, and to cause vs to reuere ce God's iudgemetes, forasmuche as the wicked vanish away like smoke, and the godlie euer into life euerlasting, in hope whereof he resigneth himselfe into God's handes. Howeuer it be, yet God is good and kinde to Israel: And to all suche, as safely kepe their conscience pure and wel. The heauens and the liuing Lord, they spare not to blaspheme, [Conclusion.] And lo, all suche as thee forsake, thou shalt destroy echone; And those that trust in any thing, sauing in thee alone. VOL. X. In |