ious, it matured
its conditional purpose by repeated acts of regeneration and reform,
by keeping generally within the radius of a stereotyped policy of
pruning and paring; which consolidated by degrees and swept it on to
the confines and the platform of its national respectability.

Be it even tacitly acknowledged, in surveying the genesis of Hymnology
that the function of revision has once been, a fact, applied to the
"Hymns Ancient and Modern" since the appearance of "The Hymnary,"
in my estimation under a less searching eye than that which all
impartially discriminated and directed, at one and at one time only,
the laying together and the consolidating of the "particles predelix"
of this frankincense offering of the National Church; a work of
classic intent and aesthetic outcome. Personal labour designed it
_purposely_ for the hearts of men, but not for their _faces_; a
character which, Christian-like, it inseparably wears, like French
martial music.

Herein exemplified to noble British hearts is a bulwark that at once
completely puts to rout no inconsiderable amount of the mildew mould
of "Hymns Ancient and Modern," while never so much as tarnishing or
jeopardizing the aroma of its native asceticism.

Interested bibliophiles may peruse pleasantly the trenchant remarks
launched by the editors, (of the work upheld) literary and musical;
and examine for their predilection by turning its pages the analytical
merit of its composer's names; all serious-minded men; capable
lamp-bearers in the wide arcana of classic music.

Stoical people do not know the wealth of chaste language stored up
within the covers of "The Hymnary." A rare musician-poet is needed
to resolve its pulpy flavour and discipline to the polemics of common
life; whilst one, a connoisseur, would readily congratulate the
sanguine, sensible, and all-seeing management, as regards to authors
of words, indices of composers, indices of metres, metronome marks,
which heralds and places it, in respect of completeness, ahead of all
contemporaneous editions.

J. ATWOOD.SLATER,

_Medallist & Premium Holder of the Royal Academy of Arts, London._

4, Hill Side, Cotham Hill, Bristol,

_Epiphany, 1903._

_LITERATURE._

_To the Editor of_ THE BIRMINGHAM GAZETTE.

_March_, 1903.

Sir,--Touched by a virtuous sense that a noble writer has passed from
the central and celestial sphere of his vocation, and discharging the
offices of respect voluntarily a