Hunter, William. Select Melodies; comprising the best of those Hymns and Spiritual Songs in common use, not to be found in the Standard Methodist Episcopal Hymn Book; as also, a number of Original Pieces. Cincinnati: Printed at the Methodist Book Concern | R. P. Thompson, Printer, 1850. [9853]
Brown leather binding with black leather spine title label, joints good, corners worn through, 12 x 7.5 cm (4 3/4 x 3 inches). Name & inscription in brown ink on front paste-down. 320 pp., complete, including 4 pp. of shape-note tunes. Rear free end paper with hole; green & gold label with lion pasted to rear paste-down; the lion represents Great Britain and holds an orb with miniature royal standards. Some foxing, creased corners. Good. Hardcover.
Stereotyped by J. A. James, Cincinnati, Ohio.
"The following edition of this work has been re-arranged from the third (type) edition, with considerable labor and care. A great many hymns found not to be in common use, have been omitted, and new ones inserted in their stead. The book is almost a new work; and the compiler hopes that it will prove even more acceptable to the Singing Community than any of its predecessors." - Preface.
William Hunter (1811-1877), b. Balllymoney, Co. Atrim, Ireland; d. Ohio. Hunter was a Methodist minister, editor, hymn-writer, and for some years professor of Hebrew in Alleghany College. He is credited with writing 125 hymns, "some of these have been translated into various Indian languages.".- Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology.
With a signed provenance card from the music collection of A. Merril Smoak, Jr., DWS.