and British hymnals than any other woman, and even in the more recent representative collections she is next to Charlotte Elliott and Frances Ridley Havergal. ANNA LÆTITIA BARBAULD TH Mrs. Barbauld. HE first Unitarian to make valuable contributions to church song was She was a native of Leicestershire, England, and her father was the Rev. John Aikin, a Presbyterian minister and schoolmaster. Miss Aikin had uncommon powers of mind, which were manifest from early childhood. It is related that Mrs. Aikin, once writing of her daughter, said: "I indeed knew a little girl who was so eager to learn that at two years old she could read sentences and short stories without spelling her words, and in half a year later could read as well as most women." A pretty little story is told of this gifted girl that refers to the time when she was five years old. One day Dr. Aikin and a friend were conversing on the passions, when the former observed that "Joy cannot have a place in a state of perfect felicity, since it supposes an accession of happiness." "I think you are mistaken, papa," said a little voice from the opposite side of the table. "Why so?" asked the doctor. "Because in the chapter I read to you this morning in the New Testament, it said that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine persons that need no repentance." When Anna was a mere child she had an acquaintance with many of the best English authors, and by the time she had reached her twentieth year had become familiar with French and Italian, and had acquired considerable knowledge of Latin and Greek. In 1774 Miss Aikin was married to the Rev. Rochemont Barbauld, a Unitarian minister, who, in addition to his pastoral duties at Palgrave, conducted a boardingschool for children. The marriage proved a bitter disappointment to this brilliant woman. Mr. Barbauld was of a singularly irritable and excitable temperament, which eventually assumed the form of insanity, and culminated in suicide in 1808. Mrs. Barbauld and her husband had settled at Stoke-Newington in 1802, and there her life, so full of serene hope and quiet faith, closed on the 9th of March, 1825. As a writer of prose and verse, Mrs. Barbauld's fame has almost passed away, but her name lives through several lyrics as fine as modern hymnals contain. A few years ago "The Nation" said of her hymns: "Some one has said that Mrs. Barbauld's voice is lost among the louder minstrels in these latter days; but her hymns will keep her name fresh as long as sacred music is a part of divine worship." In almost every American hymnal of this generation are found Mrs. Barbauld's beautiful lines entitled, "The Gracious Call," written about 1792: Come, said Jesus' sacred voice, I will guide you to your home; Weary pilgrim, hither come. Thou who, houseless, sole, forlorn, Long hast borne the proud world's scorn, Long hast roamed the barren waste, Weary pilgrim, hither haste. Ye who, tossed on beds of pain, In remorse for guilt who mourn; Hither come, for here is found It is inspiring to read her splendid Easter hymn. It was written in 1772, the full text consisting of eleven stanzas of four lines each. I believe that in all the range of hymns on the Resurrection there is nothing finer than these eight stanzas: Again the Lord of life and light Awakes the kindling ray, Oh, what a night was that which wrapt This day be grateful homage paid, And loud hosannas sung; And praise on every tongue. |