Watts. Among these writers, most of whom produced some hymns of merit, and several are extremely voluminous, Isaac Watts and Philip Doddridge are pre-eminent. It has been the fashion with some to disparage Watts, as if he had never risen above the level of his _Hymns for Little Children_. No doubt his taste is often faulty, and his style very unequal, but, looking to the good, and disregarding the large quantity of inferior matter, it is probable that more hymns which approach to a very high standard of excellence, and are at the same time suitable for congregational use, may be found in his works than in those of any other English writer. Such are "When I survey the wondrous cross," "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun" (and also another adaptation of the same 72nd Psalm), "Before Jehovah's awful throne" (first line of which, however, is not his, but Wesley's), "Joy to the world, the Lord is come," "My soul, repeat His praise," "Why do we mourn departing friends," "There is a land of pure delight," "Our God, our help in ages past," "Up to the hills I lift mine eyes," and many more. It is true that in some of these cases dross is found in the original poems mixed with gold; but the process of separation, by selection without change, is not difficult. As long as pure nervous English, unaffected fervour, strong simplicity and liquid yet manly sweetness are admitted to be characteristics of a good hymn, works such as these must command admiration. Doddridge. Doddridge is, generally, much more laboured and artificial; but his place also as a hymn-writer ought to be determined, not by his failures, but by his successes, of which the number is not inconsiderable. In his better works he is distinguished by a graceful and pointed, sometimes even a noble style. His "Hark, the glad sound, the Saviour comes" (which is, indeed, his masterpiece), is as sweet, vigorous and perfect a composition as can anywhere be found. Two other hymns, "How gentle God's commands," and that which, in a form slightly varied, became the "O God of Bethel, by whose hand," of the Scottish "Paraphrases," well represent his softer manner. Of the other followers in the school of Watts, Miss Anne Steele (1717-1778) is the most popular and perhaps the best. Her hymn beginning "Far from these narrow scenes of night" deserves high praise, even by the side of other good performances on the same subject.