PREFACE.

By the very flattering success of his former publications, which the Editor of the present work has received, both from the public and musical societies, he is induced to submit to their indulgence he following collection, consisting of anthems, duetts, solos, choruses, &c., all of which are plain, and consistent with a true spirit of devotion.

Psalmody is a distinct branch, and ought ever to be keptseparate from that of set music; and the compiler is of opinion that the time has arrived, or at least is favorable, when such a distinction may be made and carried into effect. Until our common singing schools are classed, according to the several abilities of the pupils, the science of musick will be unlikely to make more progress than it has heretofore done. Would the same benefit be derived, in our primary of elementary schools, if allwere jumbled into the same class? And supposing our common school books, which begin with the alphabet, wert to include philosophy, astronomy, mathematicks, &c. and end with a few pages of the dead languages, would they not be rendered at once unnteresting, perplexing and deficient? If such a system is wrong in one instance, it must necessarily be so in the other; and the compiler is satisfied, by his own experience, that the endeavor is useless, or nearly so, to inculcate the art of singing in such a way; it has been tested for years, and who will deny that it has lamentably failed in its object? Where there is little or no interest at heart the improvement must be corresponding; and that, which, when simple and consistent, is interesting as well as useful, must, when jumbled into an unintelligible and leterogeneous mass, become as uninteresting as it is useless. Such management, as time has already shown, cannot fail of producing the most undesirable effects; nor need we wonder at the degeneracy of musical taste, when the elementary principles of the art are thus confused, and thereby extensively neglected.

In presenting the following collection to the public, the compiler, while he acknowledges with gratitude the favorable reception he has heretofore met with, feels enabled to say, that neither pains or expense have been spared to render the present work worthy of their approbation, as well as interesting and useful to choirs and societies in general. It will be perceived that a portion is appropriated to original pieces, for which, should they not undergo the fiery ordeal of criticism unscathed, it is hoped there will be apology sufficient found in the consideration, that, in an age of enterprize like this, when improvement is advancing with giant strides to fancied perfection, every attempt to assist its progress, though not, perhaps, highly commendable, may be, at least, worthy of a candid forbearance, even though its success be not commensurate with the hope that engendered such attempt.

MARCH, 1834.

Assai-an increase or diminution of the time of the movement. Lamentevole in a plaintive, melancholy style.

Canon-a composition so constructed, as to form a perpetual Melody-an agreeable succession of sounds.