Thanks are due, and are hereby heartily rendered, to the Rev. Herman Carlyle, LL.B., of Southampton, for permission to engrave the portrait from the vestry of Above Bar Chapel—it has never been engraved before, and is believed to be the portrait presented by his pupil, early in life, to the Rev. John Pinhorne, master of the Southampton Grammar School; and also to J. Hunter, Esq., of Dr. Williams’ Library, for his invariable courtesy, and for permission, obtained through him, to use the portrait formerly the property of Miss Abney, and the bust, of which also engravings are given in the work. E. PAXTON HOOD. [Illustration: CONTENTS.] CHAP. PAGE I.—BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF ISAAC WATTS 1 II.—IN THE ACADEMY AT STOKE NEWINGTON 15 III.—IN THE HARTOPP FAMILY 32 IV.—PASTOR OF A LONDON CHURCH 40 V.—FIRST PUBLICATION AS A SACRED POET 57 VI.—RESIDENCE IN THE ABNEY FAMILY 75 VII.—HYMNS 84 VIII.—A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS 136 IX.—THE COUNTESS OF HERTFORD AND MRS. ROWE 172 X.—SHIMEI BRADBURY 189 XI.—HIS TIMES 205 XII.—RETURN TO STOKE NEWINGTON 218 XIII.—THE WORLD TO COME 226 XIV.—THE MAN 246 XV.—DEATH AND BURIAL 258 XVI.—SUMMARY AND ESTIMATE OF PROSE WRITINGS 274 [Illustration: ST. MICHAEL’S GAOL, IN WHICH WATTS’ FATHER WAS CONFINED.] [Illustration] CHAPTER I. Birth and Childhood of Isaac Watts.