Barlow’s Revision (1785)

"Barlow was invited by 'the General Association of Connecticut to revise Dr. Isaac Watts's version of the Psalms in order to remove the allusions to Great Britain and the kind and so to make them more adaptable to singing in the United States.'"--BAL 860.

Barlow's revision was first published at Hartford in 1785, with the following title:

Doctor Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David / corrected and enlarged by Joel Barlow ; to which is added a collection of hymns ; the whole applied to the state of the Christian Church in general.

(NOTE: The following list is an approximation of the varied printing/publication history of Doctor Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David,and in no way should be considered complete. Additionally, the terms "edition," "printing," and "issue" have not been used consistently in various bibliographies. Therefore, the usage of such terms has little bearing on the organization of this list.)

(Beinecke copies are noted in bold.)

(1) The Connecticut Group of Editions (included in this listing are several editions published in Glasgow and New York)

• 1785 (D)
  Hartford : Printed by Barlow and Babcock, 1785. (Za B249 785D)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30908
  Evans 18931
  BAL 860 and 20543
  Trumbull 1581

• 1786 (Db)
  (2nd ed.) Hartford : Printed [by Joel Barlow and Elisha Babcock] for Hudson and Goodwin, and Nathaniel Patten ..., [1786] (Za B249 785Dba)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30909
  Evans 19510
  Trumbull 1582

  Glasgow : Printed by David Niven for James Duncan ..., 1786. (Za B249 785Dbb)
  ESTC (RLIN) T165555

• 1791 (Dc)
  (3rd ed.) Hartford : Printed by Hudson and Goodwin, [1791?]
  ESTC (RLIN) W30910

  (3rd ed.) Hartford : Printed by Nathaniel Patten, [1791?] (Za B249 785Dcb)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30911
  Evans 22352
  Trumbull 2719
  [Benson dates this edition to 1787]

  (4th ed.) Hartford : Printed by Hudson and Goodwin, [1791?] (Za B249 785Dcc)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30912
  Evans 23188
  Trumbull 2720
  [Benson dates this edition to 1790]

  (4th ed.) Hartford : Printed by Nathaniel Patten, [1791?]
  ESTC (RLIN) W30913
  Evans 23189
  Trumbull 2722

  New-York : Printed by W. Durrell, 1791. (Za B249 785Dce)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30914
  Evans 23190

• 1795 (Dd)
  New-York : Printed by Samuel Campbell, 1795.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4463

  New-York : Printed by William Durrell, 1795. (Za B249 785Ddb)
  ESTC (RLIN) W30915
  Evans 28275

• 1798 (De)
  Glasgow : Printed by J. and A. Duncan, 1798.
  ESTC (RLIN) N67899

(2) Distinctively Presbyterian editions (Za B249 787Q__)

"In the year of Barlow's revision first appeared, at the sessions of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia the question of collating the existing psalm versions with a view to 'compose for us a version more suitable to our circumstances and taste than any we yet have,' was referred to a committee, This action created a demand, for new issues of Barlow's Watts. Beginning, therefore, in the year of Synod's allowance [1787], and continuing well toward the middle of the nineteenth century, [there are] a special group of distinctively Presbyterian editions. They are characterized by three features:

1) The omission of the hymns originally appended to the psalm-versions.
2) The adoption of a distinctive title for the book, from which the names of Dr. Watts and of Mr. Barlow alike disappear. The version is introduced in Presbyterian churches as:

Psalms carefully suited to the Christian worship in the United States of America : being an improvement of the old versions of the Psalms of David.

3) The setting forth upon the title page of the authorization of the book. This was originally, and often thereafter, supplemented by a certificate."

--Benson, pp. 26-27.

• 1787 (Q)
  Philadelphia : Printed by Francis Bailey, 1787. (24mo)
  ESTC (RLIN) W4460
  Evans 20230

  Philadelphia : Printed by Francis Bailey, 1787. (12mo)
  ESTC (RLIN) W4461
  Evans 20229

• 1788 (Qb)
  Philadelphia : Printed by W. Young and J. James, 1788.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4445
  Evans 20963

  New-York : Printed and sold by Hugh Gaine, 1788.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4489

• 1789 (Qc)
  New Brunswick : Printed by Shelly Arnett, 1789. (Za B249 787Qca)
  ESTC (RLIN) W4446
  Evans 21684

  Philadelphia : Printed by W. Young, 1789. (Za B249 787Qcb)
  ESTC (RLIN) W4447
  Evans 21686

• 1790 (Qd)
  New-York : Hodge, Allen and Campbell, 1790.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4448
  Evans 22354

• 1791 (Qe)
  Elizabeth-Town : Printed by Shepard Kollock, 1791.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4449
  Evans 23191

• 1792 (Qf)
  Philadelphia : Printed by Francis Bailey, 1792.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4488
  Evans 24104

  New York : Printed for Berry and Rogers, and John Reid, 1792.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4458
  Evans 24103

  New-York : Printed for Hodge & Campbell, 1792.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4462
  Evans 24102

• 1793 (Qg)
  New-York : Printed and sold by Samuel Campbell, 1793.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4450

  Philadelphia : Printed for W. Spotswood, 1793.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4454
  Evans 25177

  Philadelphia : Printed for, & sold by H. & P. Rice, 1793.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4455
  Evans 25179

  Wilmington : Printed for Brynberg and Andrews, 1793.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4459

• 1795 (Qi)
  Philadelphia : Printed for and sold by R. Campbell, 1795.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4451
  Evans 28276

  Philadelphia : Printed by Francis Bailey, 1795.
  ESTC (RLIN) W41527
  Evans 28277

  Glasgow : Printed for J. and A. Duncan ..., 1795. (Za B249 787Qid)
  ESTC (RLIN) N63503

• 1797 (Qj)
  Wilmington : Printed and sold by Peter Brynberg, 1797.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4453
  Evans 31812

  Elizabeth-Town : Printed by Shepard Kollock for T. Allen, 1797.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4456
  Evans 31811

  Elizabeth-Town : Printed by Shepard Kollock for Naphtali Judah, 1797.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4457

• 1799 (with title: Psalms carefully suited, &c. : being Dr. Watts' imitation of the Psalms of David / as improved by Mr. Barlow ; allowed by the Reverend Synod of New-York and Philadelphia, to be sung in congregations and families) (Qk)

Philadelphia : Printed for Robert Campbell, 1799.
ESTC (RLIN) W5101
Evans 35191

• 1802 (same title as 1799) (QL)
  New York : Printed for T. & J. Swords, 1802. (Za B249 787QLa)

  Philadelphia : Printed by R. Aitken, 1802.

  Philadelphia : Printed and sold by John M'Culloch, [1802]

• 1805 (with title: Dr. Watts' imitation of the Psalms of David, suited to the Christian worship in the United States : and allowed by the Synod of New-York and Philadelphia : to be used in all churches) (Qo)

  Philadelphia : Printed and published by William F. M'Laughlin, 1805.

• 1813 (with title: An imitation of the Psalms of David : carefully suited to the Christian worship : being an improvement of the former versions of the Psalms : allowed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States : to be used in churches and private families) (Qv)

  Albany : Printed by Websters and Skinners, 1813.

(3) Editions appearing as "Psalms carefully suited," etc., but not as distinctively Presbyterian

NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF ASSIGNING YCAL CALL NUMBERS, THESE EDITIONS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE "DISTINCTIVELY PRESBYTERIAN EDITIONS" (Za B249 787Q__) BEGINNING IN 1787 AND HAVE NOT BEEN CLASSED SEPARATELY.

"Beginning at least as early as 1793, and running parallel with the avowedly Presbyterian issues and beyond them, was a series of editions which adopted the distinctive "Psalms carefully suited," etc., of the Presbyterian title page and differing from them merely by the omission both of Synod's allowance and the certificate of its stated clerk. This was, perhaps, but a trade expedient, originally, to extend the circulation of a book proved to be popular."--Benson, p. 30.

• 1793 (with title: Psalms, carefully suited to the Christian worship in the United States of America : being an improvement of the old versions of the Psalms of David) (Qg)
  Philadelphia : Printed by W. Young, 1793.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4481
  Evans 25180

• 1794 (Qh)
  Philadelphia : Printed by W. Young, 1794.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4482
  Evans 26653

• 1799 (Qk)
  Philadelphia : Printed by W. Young, 1799.
  Evans 35191

  Harrisburgh : Printed by John Wyeth, 1799.
  ESTC (RLIN) W4452

• 1802 (QL)
  New York : P. Heard, 1802.

• 1803 (Qm)
  Philadelphia : John Conrad & Co., 1803.

• 1804 (Qn)
  Philadelphia : Printed and sold by T. & J. Swords, 1804.

  New York : Printed for E. Duyckinck, 1804.

  New York : Printed by W.W. Vermilye, for S. Campbell, 1804.

• 1805 (Qo)
  Philadelphia : Thomas Dobson, 1805.

  (with title: Psalms carefully suited, &c. being Dr. Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David, as improved by Mr. Barlow ; to this edition are added the words of sundry anthems) Wilmington [Del.] : Peter Brynberg, 1805.

  Hudson [N.Y.] : Printed for William E. Norman, by Harry Croswell, 1805.

• 1806 (Qp)
  Philadelphia : Printed for W.W. Woodward, 1806.

  Hagerstown [Md.] : Printed and sold by Jacob D. Dietrick, 1806.

  New-York : Printed by D. & G. Bruce, for Evert Duyckink, 1806.

• 1808 (Qq)
  New-York : Printed and sold by D. & G. Bruce, 1808.

  New-York : Printed for E. Duyckinck, 1808.

• 1809 (Qr)
  New York : Printed for Evert Duyckinck and M. & W. Ward, 1809.

  Albany : Hosford, 1809.

  Philadelphia : Woodward, 1809.

• 1810 (same title as 1793 ed.) (Qs)
  New York : Williams and Whiting, 1810.

  New-Brunswick : Ambrose Walker, 1810.

• 1811 (Qt)
  Brooklyn : Thomas Kirk, 1811.

  Philadelphia: Published by Benjamin C. Buzby, 1811.

• 1812 (Qu)
  Pittsburgh [Pa.] : Printed for Patterson & Hopkins, 1812.

  New-York : M. & W. Ward, 1812.

• 1813 (Qv)
  Philadelphia : Published by Benjamin C. Buzby, 1813.
  Shaw & Shoemaker 27927

• 1814 (Qw)
  Philadelphia : W.W. Woodward, 1814.

  New York : Long, for Evert Duyckinck, 1814.

  Rutland, Vt. : Printed by Fay & Davison, 1814.

  New-York : George Long, 1814.

  New-York : John Tiebout, 1814

• 1815 (Qx)
  Albany : Printed by E. and E. Hosford, 1815.

  Albany [N.Y.] : Samuel Shaw, 1815.

  Baltimore [Md.] : John & Thomas Vance, 1815.

• 1816 (Qy)
  Philadelphia : W.W. Woodward, 1816.

  Paris, Ky : J. Lyle, 1816.

  New-York : G. Long, 1816.

  Albany : Printed by Websters and Skinners, 1816.

  Pittsburgh : Cramer, Spear & Eichbaum, 1816.

• 1817 (Qz)
  Philadelphia : W.W. Woodward, 1817.

  New York : J. Tierbout, J. Seymour, printer, 1817.

• 1818 (with title: Psalms carefully suited, &c. : being Dr. Watts's imitation of the Psalms of David, improved) (Q**)
  Wilmington : Robert Porter, 1818.

  Albany : E. and E. Hosford, 1818.

  New-York : Long, 1818.

  Philadelphia : Printed for W.W. Woodward [by] W. Hill Woodward, 1818.

  New-York : Samuel Campbell & Son, 1818.

  New-York : Collins & Hannay, 1818.

  New-York : Benjamin Crane, 1818.

  New-York : W.B. Gilley, 1818

• 1819 (same title as 1793 ed.) (Q**)
  Geneva, N.Y. : James Bogert, 1819.

• 1820 (Q**)
  New York : Gilley, 1820.

• 1821 (Q**)
  Philadelphia : Published by Edwin T. Scott, 1821.

• 1822 (Q**)
  Pittsburgh : Published by R. Patterson & Lambdin, 1822.

  Pittsburgh : Cramer & Spear, 1822.

• 1823 (Q**)
  New-York : Stereotyped and printed by George Bruce, 1823.

  Philadelphia : Published by Edwin T. Scott, 1823.

• 1826 (Q**)
  New York : Stereotyped and printed by George Bruce, 1826.

  New-York : Published by W.B. Gilley, 1826.

• 1827 (with title: Psalms, carefully suited, &c. : being an improvement of the old version of the Psalms of David / by I. Watts) (Q**)
  Charleston, S.C. : Wm. Riley, 1827.
  (Described in the half-title as "Charleston edition")

  New-York : Published by White, Gallaher & White, 1827.

• 1828 (Q**)
  Philadelphia : J. Marrett, 1828.

  Philadelphia : M'Carty & Davis, 1828.

• 1830 (Q**)
  Pittsburgh : Published by H. Holdship & Son, 1830.

  Peekskill, N.Y. : S. Marks & Son, 1830.

• 1831 (Q**)
  New York : White, Gallaher and White, 1831.

• 1832 (Q**)
  Newark, N.J. : B. Olds, 1832.

• 1833 (with same title as 1793 ed.) (Q**)
  New York : Betts and Anstice, 1833.

(4) The "corrected" editions

NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF ASSIGNING YCAL CALL NUMBERS, THESE EDITIONS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED SEPARATE CALL NUMBERS.

"A final series of editions of Barlow's revisions, begin as early as 1812, and consist in each case of the Psalms and Hymns bound together in one volume, each with its own title, and each described thereon as 'corrected.'"--Benson, p. 32.

With title: Psalms carefully suited, &c. : a new edition, corrected.

• 1812
  New Brunswick : Printed by Lewis Deare for D. Fenton, Trenton, 1812.

• 1817
  N.Y. : Tiebout & Sons, 1817.

• 1824
  N.Y. : Daniel D. Smith, 1824.

• 1827
  Princeton, N.J. : D.A. Borrenstein, 1827.

• 1828
  Princeton, N.J. : D.A. Borrenstein, 1828.

• 1830
  Peekskill, N.Y. : S. Marks, 1830.

This listing was compiled with the help of the following sources:

Benson, Louis F. "The American revision of Watts's 'Psalms'" in Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society, vol. II (1903-1904), pp. 18-34, 75-89.

Blanck, Jacob. Bibliography of American Literature.

Evans, Charles. American bibliography: a chronological dictionary of all books, pamphlets, and periodical publications printed in the United States of America from the genesis of printing in 1639 down to and including the year 1820.

RLIN

ESTC (RLIN)

Trumbull, J. Hammond (James Hammond). List of books printed in Connecticut, 1709-1800.

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