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ENTERED,

According to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by

EZRA COLLIER,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of NEW YORK.

STEREOTYPED BY FRANCIS F. RIPLEY,

NEW YORK

02-10-32 AWB

Gift

Tappen Prest Ans

1-36-1932:

PREFACE.

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A GENERAL idea of the plan of this work will be derived from a mere perusal of the title-page. Watts's version is of course made the basis of the compilation; and, in revising his Psalms and Hymns, the various readings have been carefully compared with an original English copy, containing his own notes and observations. The book, however, embraces copious selections from other sources, as appears by the authors' names in the body of the work. Watts's alone stand without a name; so that they can be easily distinguished from the rest.

Much attention has been bestowed on the arrangement of the Hymns in reference to subjects and occasions; and in this part of their labor, the Compilers have had constantly in view, the convenience of selection, and the preservation of a pleasing succession of topics to the devotional reader. This two-fold object was not to be gained without study and effort. Its advantages, we trust, will be obvious on the slightest examination.

The great importance of lyrical character has not been overlooked; but the Compilers have not dared to sacrifice sense to sound, devotional sentiment to the beauties of diction, or unity of design to the special convenience of adaptation. The great interests of devotional edification can be secured, only in proportion as the claims of music and poetry, pious sentiment, and discriminating taste, are properly united.

*The musical references are the initials of the technical terms in common use, and the tunes named in connexion with the poetic pieces, are, for the most part, such plain

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