Page:Our Hymns.djvu/105

 THEIR AUTHORS AND ORIGIN. 85

i

names of persons and places thatarenow little known, or substituted known names and persons for them. And where prophecy has become history, he spoke of it as such. In the quarto edition of his works notes, between the Psalms, with references to Xew Tes tament passages, explain how he has carried out his design. This design was carried out in the face of some opposition. Romaine and Adam Clarke condemned Watts for thinking he could improve on the Psalms of David. The full title of the work was, &quot; The Psalms of David, imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and wor ship,&quot; 1719. In his preface, he acknowledges that he was occa sionally indebted to the labours of his predecessors in the same work, Sir John Denham, Mr. Milbourn, Mr. Tate, Dr. Brady, and Dr. John Patrick, and says that to the last-mentioned writer he owes the most. Dr. Watts laboured at his Psalter from 1712 to 1716, during his cessation from public duties in conse quence of illness. The complete work was published in 1719, after the sixth edition of the hymns, and met with a very ready sale.

Dr. Watts was beloved and useful as a Christian pastor and preacher, and his written works had an extensive circulation. In addition to those already spoken of as actually published, he sketched out the plan of the &quot; Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul.&quot; But growing infirmities having prevented him from writing it, he handed the work over to Dr. Doddridge, took deep interest in its progress, and expressed his approval of the manner of its execution. In a letter, bearing date Sept. 13, 1744, four years before his death, he says : &quot;I wish my health had been so far established that I could have read over every line with the attention it merits, but I am not ashamed by what I have read to recommend it as the best treatise on practical religion which is to ba found in our language.&quot; Dr. Watts never married, but he was very fond of children, and proved himself their friend by writing many simple books for them. His far-famed &quot; Cate chisms&quot; and &quot; Divine Songs&quot; were written at the request of Sir Thomas and Lady Abney, and evince the adaptive power of the

�� �