57. Thou Grace Divine, encircling all
Eliza Scudder, 1821-96
The hymn was written by Eliza Scudder, an American hymn writer of the middle nineteenth century. She was born in Boston, and died in Weston, Massachusetts. She was a niece of Edmund H. Sears, author of “It came upon a midnight clear” ([No. 75]). Miss Scudder was a person of deep religious insight and lived a quiet, retiring life. She published a book of religious verse, Hymns and Sonnets, in 1880. During most of her active life she was a Unitarian, but in later life joined the Episcopal Church.
MUSIC. BALLERMA (misspelled Balerma in some editions of the Hymnary) is a very simple tune, the second pair of lines varying only slightly from the first pair. The origin of the tune is uncertain. It is thought to be an old Spanish melody, arranged by F. H. Barthélémon.
For comments on Barthélémon see [Hymn 2].