and that he cannot add the name of Cowley to his list of authors.

In Addison we find a model for all future translators. His versions of the 19th and 23d Psalms. have been the theme of universal praise for near a century, and will remain so, as long as the English language continues to be admired. Dr. Warton* informs us, that it was originally Mr. Addison's intention to have translated the whole Book of Psalms into English verse. From the two exquisite specimens just commended, the Editor cannot but regret in common with every lover of sacred poetry, that this amiable writer did not translate many others; but he regrets far more that Dryden never undertook the task of rendering some of the sublimer Psalms, nor Drummond of Hawthornden any of the pathetic ones; with what spirit

* Essay on the Genius and Writings of Pope.

would the former great poet have paraphrased the 24th, the 68th, or the 89th, and how admirably would the 42d and the 137th have suited the delicious melancholy of Drummond's muse!

The imitation of Psalm 88, is ascribed to Prior, in a small collection of sacred poems, printed at Edinburgh 1751, under the title of "Considerations on the 88th Psalm;" these fine stanzas, and his paraphrase of St. Paul's exhortation to Charity, make us regret that this excellent poet did not more frequently invoke Urania; the paraphrase, which is one of the best pieces of sacred poetry in our language, has always been greatly admired, and is pronounced by Johnson to be " eminently beautiful."

Among those Psalms, which, by the beauty of their sentiments, the splendour of their images, or the exquisite strains of their poetry, have particularly attracted

the notice of our countrymen, may be reckoned the 23d, which has been well done by Davison, Herbert, Chamberlayne, Mrs. Rowe, and others. In Mr. Cottle's Version of the Psalms, the translation of this particular one scarce yields in point of elegance to the celebrated paraphrase of it by Addison. The 114th is also a great favourite with our poets, and, beside many other names, boasts the distinguished ones of Cowley and Milton. The 137th, as might be expected from its extreme beauty, has been often rendered; by Francis Davison, among many others, (which has usually been printed under the name of Donne) and by the accomplished Sir Philip Sidney; the 148th by Lord Roscommon, and by several other authors; but the 15th, which so admirably pictures the character of him, who "shall dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord, and rest upon his holy hill," hath never been tolerably

rendered; nor among the numerous translations of the *137th, is there one in our language, which does justice to the plaintive strains of the Hebrew Muse, as she sat by the waters of Babylon, and wept, when she remembered thee, O Sion!

For further information on this subject the reader is referred to some judicious considerations on +Psalmody, prefixed to a few Psalms and Hymns selected with considerable taste; and to Mason's Essays on Church Music.

* The learned reader need not be told that the 15th and 137th Psalms, are two of the most beautiful in Buchanan's elegant paraphrase.

+ Psalms and Hymns, selected from various authors, &c. by a Country Clergyman. London, Rivingtons, Hatchard, &c. 1807.

OLD VERSION.

THE poetical annals of this reign (Edward VI.) are almost entirely filled with metrical translations from various parts of the Holy Scriptures. Wyatt and * Surrey had translated some of the Psalms, but Sternhold, an enthusiast in the cause of the Reformation, taking offence at the indecent ballads which were current among the courtiers; and hoping to substitute a set of more holy subjects, undertook a translation of the Psalter. A similar attempt had been made in France, by Clement Marot, and, strange to say, had been

* Three Psalms by the Earl of Surrey will be found in Mr. Park's edition of Harrington's Nugæ Antiquæ, vol. ii.