the original:—and these are now stretched on the Procrustean bed of the same meaningless melody. That the original music cannot be learnt in an hour or two is most certain: but seeing that I have heard it thoroughly well sung, and most heartily enjoyed, by a school choir, varying in ages from fourteen to five, is it not unworthy of the great choral meetings, as at Ely, Salisbury, Sherborne, and elsewhere, including the words in their programmes, so utterly to spoil them in their performance? Let it be remembered that I have some little right to speak on the subject, having been the first to introduce the Sequence to English readers, and there being, even now, no other translation but my own. I will only add, that I could, and gladly would, procure the opportunity of hearing it sung by the Choir of a London church for any Choir-master who may be desirous of introducing it into his own.
I felt that the best return I could make for the great kindness with which hymns from this little volume and others of mine have been received was to spare no pains in improving them as far as I possibly could. And above all have I endeavoured to do this in Adam of S. Victor, to my mind the greatest Latin poet,
