is impossible, after going through these versions, not to think more highly than ever of the compositions of Dr. Watts.

The Versions of the Collects form a new and distinct feature of the work. We have often felt surprise that, so far as our recollection serves us, no attempt has been made by any Christian poet to throw some of these admirable and comprehensive ejaculations into a metrical form, so as to adapt them to psalmody*.

We ventured to insert, in our Number for February last +, a version of the beautiful collect beginning, O God, whose blessed Son was manifested’; and we cannot do better than give Mr. Judkin's more paraphrastic rendering of the same.

"O God, whose first-born stood reveal'd

In heav'nly armour bright,
Stood singly on this mortal field,

And legion put to flight,
That we the sons of God might be,
And heirs of immortality ;
· Vouchsafe, for His prevailing sake,

Thy Spirit to impart,
That, while this glorious hope shall take

Deep root within the heart,
We, long as earthly days endure,
Stand purified as He was pure.
So, when with pomp and pow'r again,

And down the thronging sky,
While millions swell the advent strain,

Christ cometh royally,
We may like Him, with light divine,
For ever in his kingdom shine;

* It is especially remarkable, that the Author of “ The Christian Year, or, Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holidays throughout the Year”, should not have made any use of the Collects for the purpose he has had in view, to which they might have been so successfully adapted. A twelfth edition of this highly lauded volume of sacred poetry lies before us; yet, we must confess, that we are unable to detect, in its poetical merits, the secret of its popularity. Like the world, the Church Political loves its own’; and the idea of the volume was a fortunate one, since it has secured to the Author's compositions the charm of association with holy days and venerated rites. The whole volume breathes of the cathedral, and the poetry bears the true Oxonian stamp, polished, stately, and cold as architecture, the only glow being as artificial as that obtained from stained glass. Less quaint and artificial in expression than Herbert, the modern poet of the Church is more artificial in feeling, and consequently less truly devotional. Between Mr. Keeble and Mr. Montgomery, the contrast is like the difference between a musical instrument and a deep-toned: human voice.

† Vol. xi. p. 118

* And where, amidst the angel-host,

O Father, now with Thee,
And now with Thee, O Holy Ghost,

(Mysterious Trinity !)
He reigns in His own sov'reign right,

One God through ages infinite.' While we cannot subscribe to the indiscriminate and 'hyperbolical panegyrics lavished upon the Anglican liturgy, we should feel ashamed of ourselves, if any sectarian prejudices could render us insensible to the true beauty or devotional propriety of many parts of the Church service. One great charm of the Collects lies in their exquisite conciseness. This feature of course disappears in a paraphrase ; and it is always a defect in a hymn, when a sentence is continued through more than one stanza. This is the chief fault into which Mr. Judkin has fallen; a fault with difficulty avoided, because each Collect consists of a simple invocation and petition, and to comprise both in a single stanza is often impracticable. It is obvious, however, that a paraphrastic version must be fatal to their genuine character. The Collect for the eleventh Sunday after Trinity is thus rendered by Mr. Judkin.

O God, whose pow'r is chiefly shown
In stooping from Thy glorious throne
To acts of

grace

and love;
Yea, when to save from sin was none,
By sending forth Thy blessed Son,

Our burthen to remove ;
* Grant that we plead not now in vain,
But let Thy children, LORD, obtain

Such plenitude of grace,
That, while the heav'nward course is plain,
Some higher point our feet may gain

Upon the Christian race ;
* And so each holy claim fulfil
Of Thy most just and holy will,

Within Thy word exprest;
That ev'ry promise, sweeter still,
Refresh and cheer us onward, till

We reach our perfect rest ;
And now the high and heav'nly goal
Spreads forth its honours to the soul,

The crown and raiment white;
These to adorn-while onward roll
(Where peace and love alone control)

The ages infinite. '
This is diffuse paraphrase. A second version contains the

same collect, more briefly expressed, in the compass of four verses of the common short measure. The whole thought might, however, have been more closely and emphatically expressed within eight lines; and we shall venture upon the attempt,

O God, who dost thy sovereign right

And high prerogative
Most chiefly shew in thy delight

To pity and forgive :
Vouchsafe the aid Thy grace supplies,

So in thy ways to run,
That we may win the heavenly prize,

Thro' Jesus Christ Thy Son.

One of the happiest specimens in this volume is the collect for ' All Saints', which is itself one of the finest in the Prayerbook. We refrain from criticism, but must strongly object against the concluding couplet of that on the 23rd Sunday after Trinity, which would become the lips of only a Socinian.

Mr. Judkin has certainly succeeded best in the original hymns. -Of these pleasing and sometimes striking compositions we have already spoken with approbation, and given two or three specimens. We shall therefore merely give two of the additional ones, first printed in the present edition.

HYMN II.

"“ Lord, that I might receive my sight."- Mark x. 51.
• A beggar at the highway side

Rais'd his benighted eye;
For mercy, not for alms, he cried

As Jesus passed by :
* And, oh! what joy ineffable

Possest the blind man's soul,
When now the gracious answer fell,

* Thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Lord Jesus ! with thy Spirit's light

May I have pow'r to see,
Who still in sin's oppressive night

Am crying wearily:
• Anew, day after day, unfold

The marvels of Thy grace,
Till near Thy throne, mine

behold
The brightness of Thy face.'

"HYMN LXII.
""O forsake me not utterly.”—Psalm cxix.
- In the hour when unbelief

Spreads its shadow o'er the soul,
And our eyes, through tears of grief
Cannot read the Gospel-scroll,

Holy Spirit !
Bid the cloud at distance roll.

« In the hour when boastful pride

Hath, in gloomy sadness, found
T'hat on which its strength relied
Is a reed to break and wound,

Holy Spirit !
Let Thy gracious strength abound.
• In the hour when love is cold,

Love to Jesus weak and dead,
And sweet communings of old
Now with all their peace are fled,

Holy Spirit
On our hearts Thine unction shed.
• In the hour when hope's bright ray

Seems to shine for us no more,
Ours the night which brings not day,
Ours the sea without a shore,

Holy Spirit !

Let thy strength our souls restore.' Mr. Edmeston is well known to the religious public by his numerous contributions to our popular hymnology. These ' fifty original hymns', we feel constrained to say, will not rank among his best. We select the one which has most pleased us.

- HYMN L.
• Oh Thou, my risen Lord,

What have I not in Thee?
Thy rising is the sure record

Of countless gain to me;
Peace and eternal Life,

Gifts sacred and divine,
Assurance in the deadly strife

That victory is mine.
· Not all the hymns of earth,

Nor higher praise of heaven,
Can fully celebrate thy birth,

And all thy death has given.
Weak is each earthly tongue,

And each Angelic Song,
Though all the heavenly arches rung

Their symphonies along.

• Oh Thou, my risen Lord,

How cold the praise 1 bring!
Oh that my Soul could soar abroad

On full angelic wing!
Then with a heart of fire,

And mind from evil free,
More truly would my praise aspire,

Ascended Lord, to Thee.'

Art. III.-1. The Evangelical Almanack; or Christian's Annual In

structor, for the Year 1835. 24mo. ls.

2. The Christian Almanack for the Year 1835. 12mo. Price 8d. 3. The Family Almanack for the Year of our Lord 1835. 4. Daily Manna, a Text of Scripture and Verse of Poetry for every

day in the Year. THIS ancient and venerable class of Annuals has of late years

been thrown into the shade by the upstart novelties which have usurped that name. An Almanack used to be regarded with a sort of reverential interest as an annual visitor of importance, deeply charged with mystic lore. Its leaves, fraught with hieroglyphic wisdom, were considered sacred to science and big with fate. The preparation of these Almanacks was the peculiar business and prerogative of a worshipful Company, who monopolized the science of the stars. We all know that in China and other eastern countries, the composition of the calendar is an affair of

The most learned of the magi are in requisition for the production of the work, just as Merlin, Moore, Partridge, and other distinguished magians have been retained by the Worshipful Court and Company of Stationers. Within a year or two only, their prescriptive rights have suffered invasion from a rival Society of high pretensions, trading in all sorts of useful knowledge. Still, the Almanacks of the original Company maintained their ground; and Francis Moore, in spite of the attempts to undermine his authority, continued to be the favourite oracle of the public. This year, however, has witnessed a strange, though not unanticipated result of repealing the stamp duties upon Almanacks. While these existed, the Stationers' Company still enjoyed, with little deduction, their old monopoly, of which the public had, we must admit, no great reason to complain, since the correctness of their publications was unimpeachable. But these duties being removed, the expense of printing and publishing an Almanack is rendered so trifling, especially where accuracy is not much regarded, that there has been no check upon competition ; and the literary market has been suddenly glutted with almanacks of all