84. The choirs of ransomed Israel. (Transfiguration.)

124. Are thy toils and woes increasing? (Passion or Holy Week.)

Centos might perhaps be made from

no predecessors, and

present, where I have had

therefore could have no master. If I have opened the way for others to do better what I have done imperfectly, I shall have every reason to be thankful. I have kept most of the translations by me for at least the nine years recom

B

mended by Horace; and now offer them as a contribution to the hymnology of our Own Church. And while fully sensible of their imperfections, I may yet (by way of excuse rather than of boast) say, almost in Bishop Hall's words

"I first adventure: follow me who list,

And be the second Eastern Melodist."

SACKVILLE COLLEGE,

Feast of the Epiphany, 1862.

PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

I had not ventured to hope that, whatever be the beauty of these Hymns in their original language, a Second Edition of the Translation should so soon have been called for. And it has been an additional pleasure to me to find that, notwithstanding the miserable inferiority of the version, the words of S. Cosmas, S. John Damascene, and S. Joseph of the Studium, have been already introduced into English congregations. One Hymnal which has been kindly sent to me, contains no less than eleven Greek Hymns. In the present Edition, all those versions which did not rhyme, that is, which would be of no practical use, are omitted. Of the Canon for

:

S. Thomas's Sunday more is given and in some cases where, of alternate rhymes, the one-half was permitted to remain without consonance, the defect has been remedied, I hope, without much injury to the sense. It would be ungrateful if I did not express my gratitude for the way in which my little book has been received, notwithstanding its manifold imperfections.

SACKVILLE COLLEGE,

Nov. 16th, 1862.

PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION.

It is of course a matter of deep thankfulness to me that the Eastern Church should now be more and more widely brought before ordinary congregations by means of some of the following versions. God grant that this may be one little help towards the great work of Re-union.

I have been more than once asked to what tunes any of the hymns contained in this little book may be sung. The following is a list of all the settings with which I am acquainted :—

"Peace! It is I!" by the Rev. T. Helmore, M.A.

Second Edition. Novello. 1863.

"The Day of Resurrection:" by the Rev. T. Helmore, M.A. Novello. 1863.

"The Day is past and over:" by the Rev. T. Helmore, M.A. Second Edition. Novello. 1865.