"ANN STEELE was the eldest danghter of a dissenting minister at Broughton, in Hampshire; a man of piety, integrity, benevolence, and the most amiable simplicity of manners. She discovered in early life, her love of the muses, and often entertained her friends with the truely poetical and pious productions of her pen. But, it was her infelicity, as it has been of many of her kindred spirits, to have a capacious soaring mind enclosed in a very weak and languid body. She lived, for the most part, a life of retirement, in the same peaceful village where she began and ended her days. The duties of friendship and religion occupied her time, and the pleasures of both constituted her delight. Her heart was apt to feel, often to a degree too painful for her own felicity; but always with the most tender and generous sympathy for her friends. Yet, she possessed a native cheerfulness; of which, even the agonizing pains she endured, in the latter part of her life, could not deprive her. In every short interval of abated suffering, she would, in a variety of ways, as well as by her enlivening conversation, give pleasure to all around her. Her life was a life of uraffected humility, warm benevolence, sincere friendship, and genuine devo tion. She waited with christian dignity for the hour of her departure; when it came, she welcomed its approach; and having taken an affectionate leave of her friends, closed her eyes with these animating words on her lips, "I know that my Redeemer liveth."* * This account is taken from the preface to the third volume of her "miscellaneous pieces in prose and verse," published under the name of THEODOSIA, by the Rev. Caleb Evans, of Bristol, 1780, after her decease. It is humbly apprehended, that a grateful and affectionate address to the exalted Saviour of mankind, or a hymn in honour of the Eternal Spirit, cannot be disagreeable to the mind of God. To stigmatize such an act of devotion with the name of idolatry, is (to say the least) an abuse of language. It cannot be justly charged with derogating from the glory due to the ONE God and Father of all, because he is the ultimate object of the honour which is given to his Son and to his Spirit. In this selection, those Christians who do not scruple to sing praises to their Redeemer and Sanctifier, will find materials for such a sublime enjoyment; whilst others, whose tenderness of conscience may oblige them to confine their addresses to the Father only, will find no deficiency of matter suited to their idea of "the chaste and awful spirit of devotion." BOSTON, MAY 10, 1795. N. B. The characters denoting the sharp or flat key, are prefixed to each psalm or hymn, at my request, by the Rev. Dr. MORSE, of Chartes town. 1* THE Hymns from the 300th to the end, are added to this edition, and have been selected by the successor of the Rev. Author. It is hoped that they will increase the value of the collection, and will serve to cherish that spirit of genuine devotion which the whole work is eminently adapted apted to promote. PSALMS. PSALM I. Common Metre. The Happiness of the Righteous and the Misery of the Wicked. 1 BLEST is the man who shuns the place 2 But in the statutes of the Lord 3 He, like a tree of generous kind, 4 Green as the leaf, and ever fair 5 Not so th' impious and unjust; 6 Sinners in judgment shall not stand When Christ, the Judge, at his right hand 7 His eye beholds the path they tread, PSALM II. Common Metre. The Exaltation of Christ. WATTS. 1 ATTEND. O earth. when God declares. His uncontroll'd decree ; "Thou art my Son, this day, my heir, 2 " Upon my holy Zion's hill "My King I thee ordain; 3 "Ask and receive thy full demands, 5 Be wise, ye princes, then, give ear, - 6 Approach the Son with due respect, |