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Book/Printed Material Olney hymns : in three books

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About this Item

Title

  • Olney hymns : in three books

Summary

  • Olney Hymns was compiled by John Newton, the author of "Amazing Grace" and rector of a parish in Olney, England, and William Cowper, a poet and close friend of Newton. The book contained the first printing of "Amazing Grace," which is numbered "Hymn 41" and begins at the bottom of page 53. The profits from the hymnal went to the benefit of Olney's poor. Olney Hymns later was published in New York in 1790 and in Philadelphia in 1791. In his preface to the book, Newton argued that hymns should be simpler than poetry and should be accessible to common people: "There is a stile and manner suited to the composition of hymns, which may be more successfully, or at least more easily attained by a versifier, than by a poet. They should be Hymns, not Odes, if designed for public worship, and for the use of plain people. Perspicuity, simplicity and ease, should be chiefly attended to; and the imagery and coloring of poetry, if admitted at all, should be indulged very sparingly and with great judgment." World Digital Library.

Names

  • Newton, John, 1725-1807
  • Cowper, William, 1731-1800
  • Pre-1801 Imprint Collection (Library of Congress)

Created / Published

  • London, Printed and sold by W. Oliver, 1779.

Contents

  • Book I. On select texts of scripture.--Book II. On occassional subjects.--Book III. On the progress and changes of the spiritual life.

Headings

  • -  Hymns, English--Texts--Early works to 1800

Notes

  • -  280 hymns by Newton, 68 by Cowper.--Cf. Dictionary of National Biography.
  • -  Errata: p. [xxviii]; publisher's advertisement: p. [428].
  • -  Preface signed: John Newton.
  • -  Without music.
  • -  ESTC T18634
  • -  Also available in digital form on the Library of Congress Web site.

Medium

  • xxvii, [1], 427 p. : front. (ports.) ; 17 cm.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • BV370 .N4 1779

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2006700069

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Newton, John, William Cowper, and Pre-1801 Imprint Collection. Olney Hymns: In Three Books. London, Printed and sold by W. Oliver, 1779. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2006700069/.

APA citation style:

Newton, J., Cowper, W. & Pre-1801 Imprint Collection. (1779) Olney Hymns: In Three Books. London, Printed and sold by W. Oliver. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2006700069/.

MLA citation style:

Newton, John, William Cowper, and Pre-1801 Imprint Collection. Olney Hymns: In Three Books. London, Printed and sold by W. Oliver, 1779. Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2006700069/>.