OLNEY HYMNS. IN Three Books. 1. ON SELECT TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE. 3. ON THE PROGRESS AND CHANGES And they sung as it were a new song before the CHISWICK: PRINTED BY C. AND C. WHITTINGHAM; 1824. Wi- COPIES of a few of these Hymns have already appeared in periodical publications and in some recent collections. I have observed one or two of them attributed to persons who certainly had no concern in them but as transcribers. All that have been at different times parted with in manuscript are included in the present volume; and (if the information were of any great importance) the public may be assured, that the whole number were composed by two persons only. The original design would not admit of any other association. A desire of promoting the faith and comfort of sincere Christians, though the principal, was not the only motive to this undertaking. It was likewise intended as a monument, to perpetuate the remembrance of an intimate and endeared friendship. With this pleasing view, I entered upon my part, which would have been smaller than it is, and the book would have appeared much sooner, and in a very different form, if the wise though mysterious providence of God had not seen fit to cross my wishes. We had not proceeded far upon our proposed plan, before my dear friend was prevented, by a long and affecting indisposition, from affording me any further assistance. My grief and disappointment were great; I hung my harp upon the willows, and for some time thought myself determined to proceed no further without him. Yet my mind was afterwards led to resume the service. My progress in it, amidst a variety of other engagements, has been slow: yet, in a course of years, the Hymns amounted to a considerable number: and my deference to the judgment and desires of others has at length overcome the reluctance I long felt to see them in print, while I had so few of my friend's * Hymns to insert in the collection. Though it is possible a good judge of composition might be able to distinguish those which are his, I have thought it proper to preclude misappli Cowper, Author of the Task, &c. |