A Church of England hymn book, compiled and ed. by G. Thring

yet too good and too useful to be neglected. As regards such, time alone can solve the question as to which shall be retained. Added together, these necessarily form a large collection; but not too large, if we are to have a hymn-book as wide as the Church of England herself in its sympathies, from which all, within legitimate and rational bounds, may obtain hymns suitable for their use.

It now only remains for the Compiler to return his best thanks to all those who have either aided him in the preparation of, or contributed to, his work; and more especially does he desire to thank the authors, who have without exception given him free permission to use any of their hymns of which they themselves retain the copyright. As their names are all to be found both at the foot of their hymns and in the Index of Authors, it is unnecessary to repeat them here. His thanks are also due to the following Publishers, for permission freely granted to him to print the hymns as undermentioned :-Mr. Hayes, for Dr. Neale's Hymns of the Eastern Church; Messrs. Masters & Co., for Dr. Neale's Medieval Hymns; Messrs. Morgan & Scott, for hymns from Sacred Songs and Solos; Mr. Murray, for hymns by Dean Milman; Messrs. Novello, Ewer, & Co., for hymns by Dr. Neale from the Hymnal Noted; and for some hymns from the Hymnary; Messrs. Richardson & Son, Derby, for hymns by the Rev. F. W. Faber. The right of reprinting the hymns of Miss Adelaide A. Procter, of Miss Catherine Winkworth from the Chorale Book and Lyra Germanica, and some of the hymns of Mrs. Alexander, has been acquired from Messrs. Bell &

Sons, Messrs. Longmans, Green, & Co., and Messrs. Masters & Co. respectively.

As the absence of one or two well-known hymns cannot fail to be observed, the Compiler feels it due to himself to state that the omission arises from no neglect on his part, but from the fact of the compilers of 'Hymns Ancient and Modern ' having, unlike other compilers and authors, refused to allow the insertion of hymns of which they hold the copyright.

The Compiler has taken every possible care to avoid infringement of copyright, and he trusts that any oversight in this matter, if such there be, may be pardoned: he is not, however, without hope that the time is not far distant when publishers and compilers, as well as authors, will be ready, in the interest of the Church at large, to yield their rights without any application even being made-in all cases where hymns are required solely for the purposes of Public Worship.

The Compiler cannot conclude without expressing his special obligations to the Rev. H. W. Hutton, Prebendary and Priest-Vicar of Lincoln Cathedral, and to Major G. A. Crawford. To the taste and judgment of Mr. Hutton the marks of expression added to the hymns are entirely due, and the work owes much in every way to his help and general supervision; while Major Crawford has most kindly assisted in the revision of the proofsheets with the learning and accuracy which characterise his Biographical Index to the Church Hymnal.

HORNBLOTTON RECTORY: Advent, 1879.

Any suggestions for improvement or correction of errors will be gladly received by the Compiler.