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revolutions of human society. It is an inquiry then of great magnitude and difficulty, fitted for the highest and strongest minds, and utterly remote from the disquisitions of mere ordinary conversation.

But can we be contented merely to believe this? When the evil urges and presses us,-when our ears are shocked, and our hearts are wrung, with daily accounts of ferocious deeds and fearful domestic wickedness, when we know, that in the very streets around us, in the dwellings that are built around our own, there is contagion spreading over the lives of men,can we be satisfied in heart or thought to say, that the understanding of the evil is too high for our knowledge, and therefore to separate ourselves from all part in resisting it? We are not to be so repelled or silenced. And yet, assuredly there seems plausible ground of doubt as to the success of remedies, which are to be attempted without intelligence of the disorder; and nothing seems plainer than that to understand a disorder must be to understand its cause; nothing clearer, than that a cause, which lies in the condition and constitution of human society, can only be understood by understanding that condition and that constitution.

But what is the evil itself of which we speak, and for which we would find a remedy? The deterioration of the character of the people!-what does that mean? Who can affix a meaning to the words, that has not looked upon the people in their daily life with intimate and familiar knowledge? Yet the signs of some great deterioration are plain to all eyes. Acts of crime, startling by their atrocity, oppressive by their frequency, speak in strong language to every mind, and seem to declare some change in the spirit of the nation, as if an obduration of their natural sense were growing on men's minds; as if some dire passion, some lust of wickedness, had entered into their hearts. We see the signs; and, looking as men, upon the acts and lives of men, we cannot be deceived. Our common natural understanding and human feeling are shocked and revolted by what every day shows us; and we know that we are called upon by every claim that enforces our participation in the welfare of others, to act against the VOL. III.

growing evil. Under the impulse of that powerful call, there is a sort of general motion in the mind of society towards such resistance. There is an acknowledgment of something to be done; and an uneasy zeal to begin some great work of opposition to the undefined active principle of mischief, which we witness only in its operation.

But still the difficulty and the doubt recur. What is the remedy required? What is the essential evil against which we would contend? What is the principle in nature we would seek to counteract? and the powers we can bring to that opposition? Such questions as these seem to throw us at once into the widest fields of almost indefinite speculation. Though still unconvinced, we are still unsatisfied; for we can never persuade ourselves that, in the midst of general calamity, and under the pressure of common evil, there is not something that lies at each man's hand to be done, which requires only common feeling and common prudence to know and do.

We are unsatisfied when, seeking to engage in action, we are thrown back on speculation. But what does that unsatisfied feeling argue? Have we a right to expect satisfaction? May not the defect lie in ourselves? Do we know that condition of mind, which, entering upon difficult questions, engaging in new courses of action, may justly expect clearness of view and decided knowledge? and have we reason to suppose that condition ours?

But is it any thing wonderful, if, in such inquiries, we find something unsatisfying and perplexing? Can we suppose that, in setting up ourselves in opposition to principles of mischief, which act under the great laws, and in the strength of the great powers of nature, we shall find at once a clear straight path before us, asking nothing but determination to go on? To legislate against nature,-to build up in the bosom of society resistance to her overpowering force,-to continue and govern the operation of principles which she has implicated with its life, -to inhibit or enact revolutions in the human mind,-to hold in our own hands the law of our own condition,purposes like these, not much less than these, do we make the subject of our endeavours, when we step out of the ordinary courses of our lives to Z

combine exertion against the prevalent evils that afflict us. It might seem bold in any man to say, that such purposes are within the sphere of human power. It would also be hard to say, ambitious as such purposes must seem to the measure of our faculties, that their accomplishment is in every degree denied us. Yet surely it cannot be held unreasonable to urge, that every attempt we would make, bearing upon purposes of such great scope, and involving our own acts in such a strife of mighty operation, should be preceded at least by some deliberate and earnest inquiry, and should be undertaken with that calm and stedfast resolution which remains when time has weighed and resolved all doubts,-not in that quick fervour of desire which springs up in the mind during the moment of its first unripe conceptions.

We find it difficult to bear the sus

pense of thought. Our mind has scarcely begun to conceive, ere we would leap to a conclusion. We find it still more difficult to bear the suspense of action. We have no sooner conceived an end to attain, but at once we would be moving towards it. And that impatience which is the mere working of our ungoverned imaginations, that precipitancy which but indulges the restlessness of incited desire, seem to ourselves the pure ardour and prompt devotion of a lofty zeal. The truth of this observation must be felt by all calm and unimpassioned men, who observe the exclusive pertinacity and headlong energy with which, at present, persons of tolerable understanding attribute the prevalence of crime to some one great ruling cause, for example, the political or religious temper of the times, and would, in consequence, seek to cure the evil by some one great remedy.

It were devoutly to be wished, that those who are strongly affected by the signs of evil which they behold in the face of the times, and who would sincerely give the strength of their own labour to contend against it, and who leap at every suggestion of the means of effecting such resistance, would stay to consider that it is not a light work in which they would guide themselves; that there is rather an improbability attaching to all hasty suggestions for the conduct of such a warfare; that the greatness of the purpose may dazzle them; that the painful

pressure of the evil may unduly sway their minds and precipitate their judgment. Some method of action there must be to every man who feels himself called to act; some duty to be performed by every one who feels duty incumbent on him. But to act precipitately, no man, in the ordinary courses of life, is required; and to begin to spend the strength appointed for the performance of duty before its requisitions are distinctly ascertained, the very nature of duty itself might seem to forbid.

The mind of society turns to the consideration of its disorders. Much false opinion, perhaps, may be engendered in the effort of consideration. But that impulse which directs the general minds of men against common mischief, bending their high and strong powers to purposes of common defence, cannot be ineffectual. They will multiply resources; they will war with augmenting strength against the invading evil. But it seems necessary that they should know before they can act; or, if they can only ascertain the effect of measures by putting them to proof, that at least they should hazard as little as they can, prove their measures by degrees, restrain, as much as possible, their exertions to the limits within which they can observe their success, and provide for and supply their failure.

METRICAL VERSIONS OF THE PSALMS.

(Continued from page 67.)

ACCORDING to Strype, (in his Memorials) the singing of psalms in England was allowed so early as 1548. Though some of Sternhold's psalms were printed by Whitchurche in 1549, the entire version was not completed for several years, as was formerly noticed; this was done by the English exiles, who, during the reign of Mary, resided in Geneva. Nor was that entire version consecrated, as it were, in England for public use till 1562, when it first came forth from the editorial hands of John Hopkins.

The year assigned for the reception of this version by the Scotish Church was 1564. Long before this time, however, some of the psalms in metre appear to have been very generally

circulated; and the Reformation was materially advanced by the increased love for pious poems, metrical dramas, and moralities. "It is certain, (says Dr M'Crie, Life of Knox, vol. I. p. 364.) that before the year 1546, a number of the psalms were translated into metre; for George Wishart sang one of them (the 51st) in the house of Ormiston on the night in which he was apprehended." Knox's Historie, p. 49. The words of Knox referred to by the doctor are as follows: "Efter supper he (Wishart) held a comfortabill purpois of the deith of Godis chosin children, and mirrelie said, Me think that I desyir eirnestlie to sleep; and thairwith he said, W'ell sing ane psalme; and sa he apointit the fyiftie ane Psalme, quhilk was put in Scottis Meitter, and began thus: Have Mercie on me now, guide Lord, efter thy greit Mercy." We find another instance in the same work, under the year 1556, of the custom which prevailed of using a metrical version of the psalms, from which we may infer, that they were commonly sung when the people assembled for divine worship. For the Brethrein (he says) assemblit thameselfis in suche sorte, in cumpanies, singing psalmes, and praising God, that the proudest of the enemies war astonied." Knox's Histiorie, 1732 edition, p. 96. We shall adduce another instance to corroborate our inference, from "A Brieff discours off the troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany, anno dom. 1554, &c." printed in 1575 4to. p. 7. where the author, speaking of the forms of worship observed by the exiles who first took up their residence in Frankfort, says, they resolved" to singe a psalme in meetre, in a plaine tune, as was and is accustomed in the frenche, dutche, Italian, Spanishe, and Skottishe churches."

John and Robert Wedderburn, brothers to James Wedderburn the poet, (sons of a merchant in Dundee,) are supposed to have been the principal translators of the psalms that were used before the Reformation. This version was never completed, and of it probably only a part is now preserved. In a volume usually attributed to the Wedderburns (but of which, we are perfectly convinced, they were not the only authors) some of these occur. We mean the little, rare, and curious work which passes

under the name of "The Gude and Godlie Ballatis." That part of the psalms in this volume were of those used before the Reformation, appears from this, that the two lines quoted as sung by Wishart in 1546, correspond to the commencement of the second stanza of the 51st psalm, which is printed there. We extract the following verses from the 91st, as no unfavourable specimen of these paraphrases of the Psalms, and shall refer our readers for what information is to be found respecting the supposed authors, to Calderwood's MS. History, vol. I. 108. 109., M'Crie's Life of Knox, vol. I. p. 364., Dalyell's Cursory Remarks, p. 35., Irving's Lives of the Scotish Poets, and Leyden's Introduction to the Complaynt of Scotland.

"Quha on the Hiest will depend,
And in his secret help sall traist,
Almighty God sall him defend,
And guide him with his Haly Gaist.
Therefore, with mind ripe and digest,
Thow say to God, My trew releue,
My hope, my God of mightis maist,
Only in him I will beleue.

He sall deliuer thee at need,
And saue thy life from pestilence;
His wings are thy weerely weed;
His pens are thy strang defence;
And thou sall haue experience,
That his trew promeis is thy sheild;
His word of great magnificence,
Sall be thy bucklar and thy beild.
Nay wicked sprit sall thee affray,
Nor thee delude into the night;
The fleeand darts be the day,

To trouble thee sall haue na might.
No sudden change of vncouth slight,
Sall cummer thee, nor make thee red,
Nor thee perturbe in mirke nor light,
But from all plague thou sall be fred.
And thou sall see at thy left hand
A thowsand haue a sudden fall;
And als thow sall see ten thousand
At thy right hand, whilk perish sall
Zet noght to thee sall cum at all;
But thou sall with thine eine behald
Sinners put fra memoriall,
With plagues greit and monifald."

We have thus seen, that in Scotland, the people, before the Reformation, were in the practice of singing from a metrical version of the Psalms. The Reformers did not consider singing as an absolutely necessary part of divine worship. In the First Book of Discipline, 1560, it is said, "that psalms should be sung in churcheswhere convenient;" but it is added,

"in others perchance they cannot." Many circumstances tended to prevent its performance in every church, till they received their version, which they did on the same principle that they received their forms of discipline, &c. from their friends at Geneva. We do not mean to say, that, even before this, any unnecessary neglect of this portion of worship was connived at; for, in the same work, they earnestly exhorted "men, women, and children-to exercise themselves in psalmes; that when the kirk doth convene and sing, they may be the more able together, with common hearts and voyces, to praise God." We should suppose that the Assembly had come to the resolution of adopting the English version in 1562, though it might not be generally used till two years after, else they would never, that year, have granted a loan to the printer, of 200 pounds, to help him "in printing of the Psalms." Before proceeding further, we think it advisable to give the following "Reasons," &c. entire. They have never yet been printed; and they contain nearly all the information now to be obtained on this subject. The occasion of their being drawn up, was the attempt, first made in 1632, to have this version superseded by that made by King James. Though rather long, it contains much curious matter, not generally known. "The Psalmes of David in meeter allowed be the generall Assemblie sould be sung in the kirks of Scotland as they have bein since the year 1564 for the reasons vnderwritten.

"The reformed kirke of Scotland, being subject to no vther kirke in the world, bot independant and frie, hes powr to interpret, and applay the word, to hir awin purgation conservation and edification.

"Be vertue of this power, the pastors of this kirke, at comand of the great counsall of this kingdome, penned certane heads of reformation which wer allowed and subscribed in Januar 1560.

"In these articles it is expreslie provided, that men vemen and childrine be exhorted to exercise ymselfes in psalmes that when the kirke convenes and singes they may be the moir able together with comoun heartes and voices to praise God.

"In the generall Assemblie convened at Edr in Decr 1562 for printing of the psalmes, the kirke lent Rot. licprivick printer tva hundreth pounds to help to buy Irons Ink and papper, and to fie craftesmen for printing.

In the generall assemblie holden at Edr in Decr 1564 it is ordained that evrie

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"If the Law of prescription, as it is respected be the civile Law the lawes of nationes and the lawes of this kingdome be a iust exception againest pleyes moved efter the expiring of threttie or fourtie yeares and if it wer extendit, as it sould be not only to private mens ryghtes, bot to publick moved or to be moved efter thrie scoire and saftie and tranquilitie, then all actiones aught years againest the Scots Psalmes, receaved and retained Vpon so good grounds, and so profitable and confortable to christianes his maties good subjects would be judged moir then void and ineffectuall.

If decennalis and triennalis posessio, be the Law and custom, have the nature of a perfect right, wherby thinges pertaining to the kirke, may be peacablie possest, then ys kirke sould retaine yr possession of the Psalmes, ay and while ther possession be Lawfullie declaired to be groundles and

vitious.

"Ffor forder confirmation of the kirkes

right and possession of the Psalmes in the year 1579 it is Statute and ordained, be our sovern Lord and his three estates in Parliament yt all gentlemen housholders and all vyrs worth three hundreth merkis of yeirlie rent or above, and all substantious yeamen or burgesses likvayes housholders esteemed worth five hundreth pounds in lands or guids, Is behalden to have ane bible and psalme buicke, vnder the paines contained in the said act.

"Sundrie Musitians of best scill and affection for furtherance of the act of Parliament anent the instructing of the youth in Musick have set doun comoun and propper tunnes to the whole psalmes acording to the divers formes of meeter.

"Both pastors and peoplle have som psalmes or parts of psalmes be heart as may best serve for there different dispositions and cases of concience and for the changes of their externall condition.

"Both pastors and people be long custom, ar so acquanted with the psalmes and tunnes yrof; yt as the pastors are able, to direct a psalme to be sung agriable to the Doctrine to be delyvered so he that takes vp the psalme is able to sing ony tunne and the people for the most pairt to follow him.

yr

"By the los of that heavenly treasure already in yr heart they wold be forder greived and preiudged in yr spirituall estate, then they could be hurt in bodi or goods by suffering for retention of yr awin psalmes. "In Vther reformed kirkes, as ingland, france, germanie, netherlands, etc. psalmes in meeter ar not so absolutely perfite, and frie of blame that nothing can be censured in ym, and yet neyr have they nor will they reject the comlie face of yr owne psalter, for a small blott ane or mair, bot still retein what they have had in long continued and comfortable practise.

"If it sould happen (as God forbid) that our psalme bookes in meeter wt the comoun order prefixed unto ym, and the catechise following ym now printit cum priveligio regiæ majestatis wer removed, it might be justlie feared as the kirke decayed in moyane and means that the confession of faith, the order of the election of ministers, of the ecclesiastical discipline, and of excommunication, publike repentance, the visitation of the seik, buriall of the dead, the comoun prayers, the formes of the Lords supper, of baptisme and meriage, the book of fasting, Calvines catechise, sould be supprest to the great hinderances of publicke and private

vses.

"It were a shamles ingratitude to extinguishe the memorie of so many worthie men by wos cair and paines God had vouchsafed to bestow so manie benefites vpon his kirke and ane great testimonie against the pastors and professors of this age who have ing these psalmes and vther meanes hes gained so little by ym for yr comfort and edification that they are readier to quitt them then to keip them.

"In the generall assemblie holden at brunteland in maii 1601 be occasion of a certaine motion mad be som brether, concerning our vulgar translation of the bible, the comoun prayers, the Psalmes in meeter, It was ordained that Mr Rot. pont sould revise the psalmes and that his labours sould be revised at the next assemblie, bot as the motion above written proceeded from personall respecte so it is to be supposed, that if that faithfull man who was both hollie and Learned had fund anie just caus of alteration, neither he to whom the mater was recomended nor the assemblie who sould have taken compt of his diligence would have suffred that matter to be buried

in oblivion.

"If it had beine found expedient to alter these psalmes, Mongomerie and som vthers principalls of inglish poesie in ther tymes as they gave yr assayes of som psalmes yet extant: So they offered to translate the whole book freilie without any price for yr paines, ather frae the publicke state or privat mens purses.

"As the kirk refused the offer of these poets as neidles for the publick and private worship of God so it is statute and ordained in the generall assemblie holden at St

Johnston in junii 1563 and in sundrie Vyr assemblies, that no work be set forth in print, nor published in writt till sic tyme as it sall be advised and approven be the kirk, conform to the order sett Doun be the generall assemblie.

"Since it hath pleased God to raise som hoipe of Delyverence to the kirkes of vther countries so long troubled with bloodie persecution, and to stretch out the hand of his power againest supperstition and Idolatrie. Pietie and compassion would that we sould hold fast what we have and ferventlie pray to God, to vindicatt his truth from the tyrranie of Idolatrers and to Delyver his distressed people, fra the craft and crueltie of men, that praise may be given to his matie by all kirkes and persons, whom he hes blessed wt any measure of mercifull reformation.

"In respect of the premisses and vther reasons to be eiked as occasione sall require the psalmes in meeter as they have bein and ar vsed privatlie and publicklie in Scotland aucght to be retained and no wayes suppressed for any thing seen or hard as yet."

Though the date of the reception of this version is given, yet no mention to that effect is to be found in any of the existing records. We have already mentioned the time when we imagine it to have been fixed upon. Nor was it servilely adopted, in deference either to the churches of Geneva or of England: some alterations were deemed to be wanting, and these accordingly were made. We are left, however, to discover these changes, merely by a comparison of the earlier editions, printed in England and abroad, with those in our ther pleasant nor satisfactory, consiown country; a task neidering the errors of the press, of frequent occurrence in the initials of the translators' names, as they stand at the head of the various Psalms. The Assembly seem to have adhered more to the version, as it appeared from the hands of the exiles at Geneva, than as it was received by the English church. This accounts for our version containing more of the Psalms which were translated by Kethe than theirs, when they, in common with others, were rejected by Hopkins. But indeed no two editions, before Hopkins's of 1562, wherever they may be printed, entirely correspond together. Kethe seems to have been an Englishman, although Strype, and Warton on his authority, call him a native of Scotland. Some of his translations (generally marked with the simple ini

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