Sacred Songs is a small collection of verses, consisting chiefly
of paraphrases of the Psaltns. Their object is pious, their spieit amiable, their rhythm not harsh, their versification for the most part correct; but it is scarcely censure to say that they are failures. The easy strength and the sublime simplicity of the authot ized version of the Scriptures must be injured, we suspect, by any change ; not to speak of the prepossession of the popular mind from its childh000d acquaintance with the old familiar language. However, here is a sample. It is a paraphrase of the Psalm beginning "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."
Heard ye yon wretch ?—With heartleu pick The living God he hath denied ! And fools, by his example led, O'er ea, th the foul contagion spread.
Tb' Almighty Sire look'd down from high, But guilt and sorrow met his eye ;— All, all, alas! had gone astray, Not one remain'd to keep his way.
Oh! when from Zion's cloud.wrapt height Will dawn the long-expected light ? When, when, shall earth exult to see Her long-deg, aded children free?
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