Life and Letters of the Rev. John Bacchus Dykes. Edited
by Rev. J. T. Fowler. (John Murray. 75. 6d.)—Dr. Dykes's name will be known to many of our readers as that of the composer of some of the most favourite hymn tunes of the day. Fifty-five of the Hymns and Litanies in "Hymns, Ancient and Modern" were set by him, among them "Sun of my soul," "Christian, dost thou see them ? " "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty !" The total number of the tunes composed for this and other hymnals reaches three hundred. He was a musician from a very early age, for at twelve he was offered the post of an organist. The story of his life is full of interest. It had one painful episode when he came into collision with his diocesan, Dr. Baring of Durham. Dr. Dykes was a great lover of ritual, and he was particular in in- sisting that ritual symbolised doctrine. The Bishop imposed conditions when he was asked to license a curate, and refused to act when the conditions were rejected. Oddly enough, Dr. Dykes appealed to the Court of Queen's Bench ! The Court refused to interfere, and Dr. Dykes had to deal single-handed with a large parish, not a little to the injury of his health, quite possibly to the shortening of his life. The Bishop was certainly arbitrary, and imposed conditions which no one would now dream of. On the other hand, Dr. Dykes's contention that a Bishop is bound to license any curate in whose case all legal conditions are ful- filled is inadmissible. The power of giving or withholding the license is almost the only means that he has of acting on the beneficed clergy. Take it away, and a system of alm3st pure individualism would result. Nowhere else in Christendom is there anything like the Anglican beneficed clergyman. It is now possible to reach him for misconduct without a ruinous expense. But he may practically preach any doctrine and practise any ritual that pleases him unhindered.
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