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26 pestilence, which carried off more than 1,400 persons. Nicolai could see their burials from his window, and his mind becoming much affected by the appalling events happening around him, he was led to think much of death, heaven, and eternity. His meditations cheered his own heart, and, in 1599, he published them for the benefit of others. The work is entitled, "Freudenspiegel des ewigen Lebens," or "Reflections of the joys of eternal life." To this work he appended the first-mentioned hymn, and entitled it, "Of the voice at midnight, and the wise virgins who met their heavenly bridegroom." This hymn has been translated into several foreign languages. The tune, introduced by Mendelssohn into his "Elijah," is said to have been composed by Nicolai, and harmonized by Jacob Pretorius, his organist, at Hamburg. The other hymn was given in the appendix to his "Freudenspiegel," and entitled, "A spiritual bridal song of the believing soul concerning Jesus Christ, her heavenly bridegroom, from Psalm xlv, of the Prophet David." The splendid chorale used for it was taken by Nicolai himself from a secular song. Nicolai wrote his third known hymn shortly before his death. His hymns found many imitators, and gave a new impetus to German religious poetry. Nicolai also wrote polemical works.

"Behold how glorious is yon sky," No. 749,

Is a translation of a piece attributed to Nicolai.

said that English poetry owed much to the translations of Sandys; Dryden styled him, "the best versifier of the former age," and Addison is believed to have benefited by the study of his style.

He was born at Bishopsthorpe, at the palace of his father, Dr. Edwin Sandys, then Archbishop of York, and he was brother of