Hymn Writers of the Church

Winkworth, Catherine, an English poetess unusually gifted as a translator of hymns, was a member of the Church of England. She was born in London September 13, 1829. Much of her early life was spent near Manchester, the family moving later to Clifton, near Bristol. She made a specialty of translations from the German. She was the author of the following books: Lyra Germanica (first series, 1855; second series, 1858); The Chorale Book for England, 1863; Christian Singers of Germany, 1869. She died suddenly of heart disease at Monnetier, Savoy, July, 1878. Dr. James Martineau said: "Her translations contained in these volumes are invariably faithful and, for the most part, both terse and delicate; and an admirable art is applied to the management of complex and difficult versification." "Miss Winkworth," says Dr. Julian, "although not the earliest of modern translators of German into English, is certainly the foremost in rank and popularity." She possessed great intellectual and social gifts, and was deeply interested in the higher education of women. Six of her translations have a place in this volume.