DEVOTIONAL HARMONY, 1801

ASMI 530 

Devotional Harmony: a posthumous work of Merit N. Woodruff, late of Watertown, (Con-necticut) deceased. Published by his relatives and friends, under the inspection of Asahel Benham. A short narrative of the life and death of the author, may be found in the introduction.

60 p. 12 x 20.5 cm. 1 p. 9-60 engraved [probably by Amos Doolittle and C. Beecher]. The plates for p. 41-44 were later used for p. 57-60 of Benham's Social Harmony, [1801] (No. 95A), signed by C. Beecher as engraver, and they resemble that work in style. The rest of the plates for Devotional Harmony differ in style. See note above, under Doolittle.

[1801.] New Haven Connecticut Journal, 22 Jan. 1801, advertises work as just published. Benham, who supervised the publication, lived in Wallingford, Conn. Since his Social Harmony, [1801], which shares pages with this work, was apparently published in New Haven, Devotional Harmony was also probably published there. p. [1], t-p.; p. [2], blank; p. 3-4, 'Introduction'; p. 5, brief prose piece by Woodruff, 'Written when but Fifteen Years of Age'; p. 6, poem 'Written a short Time before his Death'; p. 7, 'Index'; p. [8] blank; p. 9-60, music. 'Mr. Merit N. Woodruff, the Author of the following composition, was son of Mr. Isaac Woodruff, of an ancient and respectable family in Milford, in the State of Connecticut, and was born in Watertown, Litchfield County, June 17, A.D. 1780. When about two years old he had the misfortune to lose his father, who died very suddenly of the small-pox. His widowed mother, surrounded with eight children, and living at a distance from school, could not possibly give our author, in his younger years, the advantages of even a country school; but he soon disclosed a genius capable of surmounting every disadvantage which his situation placed him under. At the age of twelve years he had acquired a considerable knowledge of the English language, writing, composition, arithmetic, and musick, chiefly by his own unwearied application without the assistance of an instructor. His industry and desire of improving himself was so great that for hours he would sit in some solitary place and read or compose by moonlight. In this manner he passed his life until the age of fourteen, when he had acquired his full growth, being more than six feet high and well-proportioned at this period he composed several of the following tunes. [fn. The Tunes, being dated, are placed nearly in the order in which they were composed.] [New par.] His mind seemed formed above the follies of childhood and the levities of youth-modest, thoughtful, and obliging; his acquaintance was sought for by the friends of science, and his conduct consid-ered as a model for those of his age. When arrived at the age of eighteen he entered himself as a clerk in the store of Messrs. Cutler and Smith, where his fidelity and attention to business gained him the friendship and confidence of his employers and the esteem of their customers. He was from his childhood excessively fond of Musick and employed his leisure hours in practising or composing until the 26th June, 1799, when going to a small pond to bathe, not being a swimmer, he unfortunately waded beyond his depth and instantly sunk to the bottom, and although raised in eight or ten minutes, and every effort of medical assistance made for his recovery, his life was gone forever. [New par.] Thus lived and died Merit N. Woodruff, who but a short time before his death had as fair a prospect of long life and usefulness as any young man of his age. [New par.] It is thought proper to give this plain narrative of the life and death of this amiable young man, for the gratification of his friends; for the consideration of the rising generation, and as an apology for publishing the following compositions, as it will sufficiently account for any inaccuracies in the same.' (Introduction in full.)

          40 compositions, incl. 3 set-pieces, for 4 voices (1 for 2); full text. T-p. attribs. all to Woodruff. 40 1st pr. identified. All are American compositions. 

No Core Repertory.

          E39140 (MWA). CtHi, CtY, MWA*.

ASMI pp. 616-617.