The Boston Collection of Sacred and Devotional Hymns: Intended to accommodate Christians on Special and Stated Occasions. Boston: Published by Manning and Loring, 1808. First Edition. [8496]
Full leather, scuffed & worn, joints good, 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 inches, tight. Lacking front blanks. (i)-xii., (13)-290 pp. of text; [28] pp. of thirty-three tunes printed oblong (one with a closed tear), (320)-324 pp. (Index). Defects: leaf 143-144 with closed tear; lacking leaves 145-146, 155-156.
Printed in old typeface with the long and short S, which we think is a late date for it. Good.
Shaw & Shoemaker 14553. No. 121 in Britton & Lowens, American Sacred Music Imprints 1698-1810: A Bibliography, with a note pertaining to the printed music: "33 compositions for 2 voices; full text. No attribs. 1st American printing identified (Basham, Burnham, Charlestown, Fawcett, Mercer, Ophir, Rippon, Stillman, Union). 1 traced to American source (Sincerity), 22 to non-American, 10 unidentified..."
Although the title sounds generic, this is a distinctly Baptist hymnal. Recommendation by Thomas Baldwin, Joseph Clay, and Caleb Blood.
"The Baptist Churches in Boston and its vicinity have long been desirous that a small number of Hymns, suitable to be sung at the administration of Baptism, should be printed. These having been collected by the assistance of several members of those churches, the publishers thought it probable that a Collection embracing other subjects also, would be more acceptable, and might serve as a supplement to Dr. Watts's Psalms and Hymns. They have therefore selected many in addition to those on baptism...
"The numerous revivals of religion in America, which have taken place of late years in remarkable succession, through the copious out-pouring of the Spirit in different places, has rendered the demand for devotional hymns more general than heretofore; and although there are several publications extant, of a nature in many respects like to this, yet being not altogether familiar, it is hoped that no one will be offended at this additional attempt to edify and comfort serious Christians, who are seeking the means of raising their hearts in thanksgiving and praise to their Redeemer." - Advertisement.
Hymns 1-75 are on Baptism; 76-121, Lord's Supper; 122-307 are Devotional Hymns.
"[The Collection] attributes four texts to Oliver Holden, the compiler and composer of The Young Convert's Companion [1806]," and an additional seventeen are attributed to him by the use of his initial..."The tunes appended to the end of the volume are intended 'to prevent the use of some, which are not sufficiently solemn enough for the purposes of devotion,' and to provide music for 'most of the metres in the book.' The musical appendix includes thirty-three pieces set for two voices (melody and bass). None of the tunes carries an attribution, but more than two-thirds of them have been traced to earlier British or American sources." - Music & Richardson, "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story", pp. 158-159, 257-258.
With a signed provenance card from the collection of A. Merril Smoak, Jr., DWS.
