Page:The Methodist Hymn-Book Illustrated.djvu/66

 54 THE METHODIST HYMN-BOOK ILLUSTRATED

The son was born in Dublin, and wrote, under Dryden s super vision, the second part of Absalom and Achitophel, except about two hundred lines. He became Poet Laureate in 1692 ; historiographer-royal, 1702. He is said to have been intem perate and improvident. He died in London. He defended the style of the New Version against Beveridge s attack.

Nicholas Brady (1659-1726) was born at Bandon, educated at Westminster, Christ Church, Oxford, and Trinity College, Dublin. He was an adherent of William III, and in the Irish war thrice saved his native town from being burned. He came to London with a petition from Bandon, and was appointed Chap- Iain to the King. He became popular as a preacher in London, was presented to the living of St. Catherine Cree ; he was incum bent of Richmond, Surrey (1696-1726), where he kept a school. He was Rector of Stratford-on-Avon 1702-5 ; of Clapham 1705-6. In 1696 he and Nahum Tate published A New Version of the Psalms of David, fitted to the Tunes used in Churches. It was dedicated to William III. The King gave permission for it to be used in such churches as shall think fit to receive them. There was strong dissatisfaction with Sternhold and Hopkins, and this helped the New Version to win popularity, though William Beveridge, who became Bishop of St. Asaph in 1704, made a strong protest against it as fine and modish, flourished with wit and fancy, gay and fashionable, and spoke of the dis traction caused by two versions. In time, he said, we might have one Secundum usum London, another Secundum usum Richmond, another Secundum usum Sarum. But despite all criticism it won its way to favour, and some of its sweet and simple versions will always have a place of honour in our hymn-books. Psalm xxxiv. is one of the most successful versions. It is impossible to distinguish between the work of Tate and Brady in the New Version.

��Hymn 18. Meet and right it is to praise.

CHARLES WESLEY (i).

Hymns for the Use of Families, 1767 ; Works, vii. 1 6.

The second verse begins Least of all Thy mercies, we, with an allusion to George Herbert s motto, Less than the least of all God s mercies ; but as this might mean that God s salvation was the least of His mercies, the word was altered to creatures.

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