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HYMNS

TRANSLATED FROM THE

PARISIAN BREVIARY.

BY THE

AUTHOR OF THE CATHEDRAL.'

Enquire of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of
their fathers:

For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days
upon earth are a shadow.-JOB viii. 8, 9.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD,

AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL.

1839.

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GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

PREFACE.

NATURAL piety would turn our attention to the ancient Latin Hymns, as the source from which our acknowledged deficiency in Metrical Psalmody is to be supplied. And indeed our Church itself points out to us these fountains, and leads us, as it were, by the hand to them; inasmuch, as in the same books of devotion we find most parts of our own Prayer-book. Moreover, that which may be accounted the only metrical Psalm, or Hymn, fully authorized by the Church of England, viz. the Veni Creator, inserted in the Ordination services, is one of these hymns. And perhaps the reason why more of them were not introduced into the Prayer-book, was rather the difficulty of finding persons competent to translate them at the time, than any other cause. Archbishop Cranmer did himself attempt it, at least the "salve festa dies," as he mentions in a letter to the king, expressing a desire, that as his 66 English verses wanted the grace and faculty which he could wish they had, his Majesty would cause some other to do them in more pleasant English and phrase1." 'See Collier's Eccles. Hist. vol. ii. p. 206.

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