elves in overgrown cities, and wear the silken fetters of wealth
and pride!--an aristocrat of Lauterbrun eclipses all your splendour, and
a poor Swiss cottager in his humble chalet, is richer than the
wealthiest of you--for he is _content_.

* * * * *

PSALMODY.

(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)

In my paper of the 22nd of August, on this subject, I promised to resume
it on my next coming to London, which has been retarded by several
causes.

In visiting the Churches of All Souls, and Trinity, the psalmody is by
no means to be praised. It is chiefly by the charity children, the
singing (or rather noise) is in their usual way, and which will go on to
the end of time, unless by the permission of the clergy, some
intelligent instructors are allowed to lead as in the Chapel of St.
James, near Mornington Place, in the Hampstead Road. The author of the
paper on Music, in your publication of the 6th of September, very fairly
puts the question, "Why are not the English a musical people?" and he
shows many of the interrupting causes. It may happen, however, that by
cultivating psalmody in our churches and chapels, considerable progress
may be made. The young will be instructed, and the more advanced will
_attend_, and we know the power of _attention_ (the only quality in
which Sir Isaac Newton could be persuaded to believe he had any one
advantage in intellect over his fellow men.)

It is much to be regretted that the poetry in which our Episcopal Psalms
and Hymns are sung, is confined to the versions of Sternhold and
Hopkins, and of Tate and Brady. The poetry of Sternhold and Hopkins is
in general uncouth with some few exceptions. Tate and Brady have made
their versification somewhat more congenial with the modern improvements
of our language; but each confines himself to the very literal language
of the Old Testament; Sternhold and Hopkins in this respect have the
advantage of their successors, Tate and Brady; for the translations of
Sternhold and Hopkins are nearer to the original Hebrew.

The main object of my hope is, that the version of the Psalms now in use
may be altered, or rather improved, in such a manner as to manifest
their prophetic and typical relation to Christianity, to which in their
present form so little reference is to be perceived by those "who should
read as they run." A change or improvement in this respect would give a
more enlivening interest in Psalmody. Dr. W