or translated, stamps the father of the Wesleys a true poet, and of which his son John was so justly proud. In reference to this document, Dr. Clarke's Wesley Family (Works, 12mo, vol. ii.) may be consulted with advantage. The first Methodists at Oxford sung Psalms in proportion to their earnestness in religion; when they 'declined, and shrank from the reproach of serious godliness, the psalm singing in their little meetings was given up. After their "day of Pentecost had come," at Whitsuntide, 1738, the habit of singing was revived, as the biographies abundantly testify. And when hundreds more had their lips opened by the sense of pardoning mercy obtained under the preaching of the two brothers, the revival of singing in England became very marked and general, and Tune-books as well as Hymn-books came into request. John Wesley supplied his people with four, and appears to have permitted, if he did not encourage, the use of two others. Of these four, the first, which has long been extremely rare, is now reprinted to accompany the first Hymn-book. When it originally appeared, the once solitary "missioner in Georgia" had become a very popular clergyman in London, followed by large congregations, and occupying one place of worship, if no more. He had also published more than one volume of Hymns (in addition to the Collection of Psalms and Hymns already spoken of), and some of these in metres which were not then commonly used in England. So his little Collection of Tunes would be highly serviceable, if not absolutely necessary; and his characteristic love of the poor, and desire for their improvement, are seen in providing them with more than forty tunes for sixpence. That all might learn to sing, he printed only the melody, leaving the harmony to be supplied by the more skilful; and as he determined that neither ignorance nor poverty should stand in the way of improvement, he afterwards published, at the price of a penny, an Introduction to Vocal Music adapted to general use. How useful these several publications were in building up the United Societies in the joy of faith we must not stop to consider; but we may not omit to notice the high character of many of the compositions which he thus circulated, and which have retained their hold on the public taste to this day; and the sober and devout style of singing which he sought to encourage. What was boisterous and rude received no countenance either from the teaching or the example of the founder of Methodism, whose motto might well have been "Who know His power, His grace who prove, The subjoined list of Errata, though long, may not be quite complete, but will be readily excused by the candid reader, a fac-simile reprint not admitting of corrections of the press. The number and character of the printer's mistakes suggests the probability of the book being printed without the personal superintendence of Wesley, whose proverbial accuracy must have been sorely tried by the sight of the book when it came into his hands. G. OSBORN. ERRATA. The date on the title page is 1737, which disagrees with the Author's date (Outlines of Wesleyan Bibliography, p. 212). Page 15, last line but one, for mercies read mercy's. 29, verse 8, line 2, for fears read tears. ,, 3, for attone read atone. last, for drawing read dawning. |