Isaac Watts, Divine Songs for the Use of Children

Katherine Wakely-Mulroney (University of Cambridge)

Ed. by Louise Joy, University of Cambridge
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.05: English Writing and Culture from the Glorious Revolution to the French Revolution, 1689-1789.
Vol. editors: Paul Baines (University of Liverpool), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Pat Rogers (University of South Florida), Nicholas Seager (University of Keele)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1715

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Children's Literature
Poetry (any)

Resources

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Recommended Reading

“What sweeter book to me belongs / Than Dr. Watts’ book of songs?” These lines, taken from an 1836 song book (

A Course of Lessons

51), refer to Isaac Watts’

Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of Children

, first published in 1715 (the amended title,

Divine and Moral Songs

, did not appear until 1794 (Pafford 44)). One of the most popular children’s texts ever written,

Divine Songs

went through twenty editions in Watts’ lifetime, with over six hundred known British and American editions published between 1715 and 1901 and an estimated eight million copies sold (Pafford 1-2). The first American edition was published in 1719, and elements of the text were reproduced in the

New-England Primer

. Watts’

Songs

are commonly regarded as the unifying link between the old…

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2859 words

Citation: Wakely-Mulroney, Katherine. "Divine Songs for the Use of Children". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 January 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5534, accessed 20 April 2024.]

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