COWPER, William, and John NEWTON.

 Printed and sold by W. Oliver ... sold also by J. Buckland ... and J. Johnson ... 1779.

Small 8vo., pp. xxvii, [1], 427, [1], with the half-title;  a very good copy in modern dark brown leather with small chip in crown exposing headband. First edition of one of the most celebrated hymnals in the English language. Olney Hymns, named for the Buckinghamshire village where Cowper lived and his friend John Newton was curate, includes Cowper’s ‘God moves in mysterious ways’, Newton’s ‘Amazing Grace’, and other hymns still used in the Church of England and dissenting congregations.

Arranged in three themed sections: On Select Texts and Scripture; On Occasional Subjects; and On the Progress and Changes of the Personal Life. Contemporary binding. Full calf. Bookplate of Wilfred Merton on front pastedown. Board hinges tender. Small chip to head of spine revealing part of headband. Rubbing to board and spine ends. First Edition.

Cowper wrote 67 of the hymns, but nearly 300 were written by the Rev. John Newton, the slave-trader Parson, and Cowper's good friend. A number of these hymns still appear in hymnals today including 'How Sweet the name of Jesus Sounds', 'Glorious Things of these are Spoken', and most famously 'Amazing Grace'.

Amazing Grace appears at the bottom of page 53 under the heading I Chronicles. It was originally titled "Faith's Review and Expectation" with the citation (Chap. xvii. 16,17).