The apocryphal addition to the Book of Daniel, known as the Song of the Three Holy Children, may be considered with Old Testament lyrics. Comprising sixty-seven verses, it was added to _Daniel 3:23_, but, strictly speaking, its date, author and original language are unknown. It is probable that it is of Hebrew authorship and belongs to the first century, B. C. Its use, however, is unquestioned.[6] The first part, Blessed art Thou, O Lord of our fathers, is the familiar _Benedictus es, Domine_; and the second part, O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, is the _Benedicite, omnia opera_. The term _canticle_, mentioned above, has been applied in a general sense to such lyrics from the Old Testament and also from the New. "In practice," says James Mearns, "it means those Songs of Holy Scripture which have been selected for ecclesiastical use and are appended to, or incorporated with, the Psalter or other parts of the Divine Office."[7] Both Eastern and Western Churches early made official use of the Old Testament canticles,[8] while the Greek Church elaborated upon them in formal metrical compositions, called _canons_, or groups of _odes_ based upon an acrostic structure, a distinctive feature of Greek hymnody from the seventh century.[9] It was only natural that the hymnody of the Old Testament should have exerted a marked influence upon Christian practice. The Old Testament tradition was very strong. Familiar phraseology was ready at hand for the composition of new canticles which were often mere centos from the Psalms or other portions of the Hebrew scriptures. It should be recalled that Christianity not only arose in the Semitic environment but also was for some years localized chiefly in the oriental sections of the Roman Empire, and that it was affected by oriental ideas and modes of expression. Even after Greek and Roman influences were strongly felt, hymnology retained this traditional Semitic character and pagan lyrics were held in suspicion. III. New Testament Hymns The transition, therefore, to the canticles of the New Testament was easy and perhaps inevitable. The _Benedictus_, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel (_Luke 1:68-79_), spoken by Zacharias, the _Nunc dimittis_, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace (_Luke 2:29-32_), by Simeon, and above all the _Magnificat_, My soul doth magnify the Lord (_Luke 1:46-55_), from the lips of the Virgin Mother, are among the most famous of early Christian hymns, which, together with the song of the angelic host at the birth of Jesus, the _Gloria in excelsis_, Glory to God in the highest (_Luke 2:14_), appear within the Gospel narratives. In the remaining portions of the New Testament other hymn fragments are found. Some of these are direct quotations from known sources.[10] In the _Book of Revelation (4:8)_, reference is made to the words of _Isaiah (6:3)_, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,