John Ryland, Jr., [Northampton], to John Rippon, London, undated (c. 1785). 

[Ryland is sending Rippon several hymns; he also adds a note about Rev. Gregg, who published a book of hymns when Button was Ryland's school in Northampton. Menton of William Button when he was a student at Ryland's academy in Northampton; there is also the reference to Dan Taylor's response to Fuller's Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation (1785), which dates the letter.]

My D.r Bro.r

I will find Greggs hymns if possible, but have search’d much in vain Sure Button shou’d have them, they were printed when he was at School – he was first awakened under Greggs funeral Sermon for Master Yallowley –

Pray be free in leaving out mine All if you will – We unite in Love

Ever Yours

J R j.

I expect Bro.r Fuller will be shortly attacked fm the Arminian Quarter[ly] to be sold by Buckland – Author unknown, perhaps Dan Taylor – Pray for us – If we will keep in the middle we must be well pelted on Both sides –

On the back of the above page Ryland has written out six hymns, of which, as Crippen has noted, the first four have never been published:

Whate’er the Case wth others be ...

Lord it is sweet when in thy light ...

Just overwhelmed with sore distress ...

O for a strong & lasting faith ...   [no other notes]

These two appeared in print: 

[?] at thy Word almighty God ...

Sweet was the hour and sweet the place ...

On the other page Ryland writes:

“Some of the Olney hymns which I like best are the following”

From Book I, he chooses nos. 3, 16 (“manna hoarded contains som useful sentimens”), 30, 31, 32, 35, 36, 41, 43, 44, 46, 47, 51, 54, 56, 64 (“seems to suit many”), 73, 79, 80, 81 (“known to be useful to many”), 82, 84 (“striking”), 86 (“striking to a Congregation”), 87, 88, 89, 91, 94 (“good for the poor espec. last stanza”), 96, 103 (“striking”), 112 (“encouraging , experimental”), 126, 129, 130, 131, 134, and 135.

From Book II he chooses 46, 51, 60, 61, 72, and 75.

From Book III he chooses 3, 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, 36, 37, 40, 41, 47, 50, 51, 55, 59, 61, 62, 64 (“and more of the hymns hereabout I admire”), 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 77, 82, 85, and 86

He then adds:

Really these hymns are so very experimental, that I shou’d be greatly at a loss what to leave out rather than what to take in – Berridge’s I like well in private but a great many have such a peculiarity of expression that renders them hardly the thing for a mix’d auditory –

I suppose you will omit many of these, but perhaps you may be the above list take an hint what to look over, I have just emphatic dashes round or under those I most of all admire

Text: MS. II.c.5.(28.), Congregational Library, London.