English

hymnwriter A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who is traditional ...

Jane Eliza Leeson published several collections of original and translated

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

s, including several for children. Her works include ''Infant Hymnings'' and ''Hymns and Scenes of Childhood, or A Sponsor's Gift''.

Biography

Jane Elizabeth Leeson was born in Wilford, England in 1807 or 1808 and was christened on December 18, 1808, at

St. Mary's Church St. Mary's Church, St. Mary the Virgin's Church, St. Mary Church, Saint Mary Church, or other variations on the name, is a commonly used name for specific churches of various Christian denominations. Notable uses of the term may refer to: Albania ...

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

. As an adult, Leeson converted to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. She died in Leamington, Warwickshire on November 18, 1881.

Career

Leeson was a prolific hymnwriter, publishing numerous collections of hymns during her lifetime. She also published translations of hymns from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

, including a version of "Christ The Lord is Risen Today" by

Wipo of Burgundy Wipo of Burgundy (also Wippo or Wigbert; – ), often simply Wipo, was a priest, poet and chronicler. He was a chaplain to the Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II and may have acted as a tutor to his son Henry III, to whom he dedicated a number of w ...

. Her various writings were nearly all poetical and designed for children. At her own request all her works were first published anonymously. One of her best pieces (included in leading hymnals in England and the U.S.) was, "Saviour! teach me, day by day". Her "Sweet the Lessons Jesus Taught," is characterized as being tender in expression, but it did not have the same popularity as "Saviour! teach me, day by day".

Selected works

Collections

* ''Infant Hymnings'' * ''Hymns and Scenes of Childhood, or A Sponsor's Gift'' (1842) * ''The Lady Ella: or, The Story of "Cinderella" in verse'' (1847) * ''Paraphrases and Hymns for Congregational Singing'' (1853)

Original hymns

Source: * "Gracious Savior, gentle Shepherd" * "Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep" * "Savior, teach me, day by day" * "A little child may know" * "Their hearts shall not be moved"

Translated hymns

* "O Holy Spirit fount of love" (by Charles Coffin) * "In the cross of Christ I glory, Towering o'er the wrecks of time" (by

John Bowring Sir John Bowring , or Phrayā Siam Mānukūlakicca Siammitra Mahāyaśa (17 October 1792 – 23 November 1872) was a British political economist, traveller, writer, literary translator, polyglot and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong. He was ...

)

References

1808 births 1881 deaths English hymnwriters People from Nottinghamshire English children's writers 19th-century English women writers {{England-poet-stub