Nancy Jiwon Cho on Margaret Maison

In a Durham PhD Nancy Jiwon Cho quotes Margaret Maison's essay '"Thine, Only Thine!" Women Hymn Writers in Britain, 1760-1835' (1986) She says it was the first serious modern critical study on women's hymn writing, an essay giving an overview of the pre-Victorian tradition that scrutinises the conditions in which hymns were written, and the themes and tropes that emerge. She asserts that: [The hymn's] extraordinary popularity gave women welcome opportunities for authorship. Icy hostility to Christian ladies as writers melted in the sunshine of sacred song, and those three giants of eighteenth-century hymnology, Isaac Watts and the two Wesleys, John and Charles, all encouraged, influenced and were influenced by women hymn-writers and hymn-singers.

One idea which Maison perpetuates in her essay, says Jiwon, is that Anne Steele is `one of the brightest stars in the firmament of Baptist hymnody, hailed by the historians as the "mother" of English women hymn writers' (p. 14).

Maison writes that Steele's hymns: echo the attractive simplicity, spontaneity and ardour of Watts and the Wesleys, with added notes of feminine sensitivity and introspection. The love and praise of God, the pleasures of the `grateful rapture, ' and the joys of a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ come across strongly. Christ is frequently addressed in the language of a lover [... ]. But He is also the crucified Saviour, with `bloody sweat, like drops of rain'. (p. 15) 

The PhD is accessible here.

10 Eighteenth Century Baptist Hymn Writers

1. Anne Steele
2. Benjamin Beddome
3. Benjamin Francis
4. Benjamin Wallin
5. Daniel Turner
6. John Fawcett
7. John Rippon
8. John Ryland Jr
9. Robert Robinson
10. Samuel Medley

The Cottle connection

Writing on Joseph Cottle the Baptist and publisher of Romantics such as Southey, Coleridge, etc, Timothy Whelan has written that

... Cottle's Baptist credentials were certainly not hidden from Coleridge, Southey, Wordsworth, Lamb, or Poole as they formed their mutual friendships and working relations between 1794-99. Originally from Gloucestershire, Cottle's mother, Grace, had a close relationship with her cousin Anne Steele, the famous Baptist hymnwriter known as "Theodosia," whose three-volume Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional (published in Bristol in 1780 by William Pine, and republished in 1796 by Cottle) contained numerous hymns quite popular among the Baptist churches of England. Anne occasionally visited in the 1730s at the home of a Joseph Cottle of Trowbridge (one of Cottle's relatives), and in a letter to Grace Cottle dated 18 May 1761, Anne Steele congratulates the Cottles on their recent move to Bristol and informs Grace that she cannot visit any time soon because of the recent death of her mother, a "mournful Event," the account of which "must have been affecting to you."

In 1778 young Joseph was sent to Richard Henderson's Baptist Academy at Hanham, where he met and grew quite fond of the headmaster's son John Henderson, the brilliant but eccentric classics instructor who began teaching Latin and Greek at the age of twelve in a Welsh college. Henderson's brilliance was widely known, counting among his admirers Hannah More and Samuel Johnson. His untimely death in 1788 provoked what may have been Cottle's best poem, the "Monody on the Death of John Henderson," as well as a prose "Sketch of His Character," both of which appeared in his Poems (1795). ....

Elsewhere Whelan has written of Grace Cottle's mother that she was the wife of Joseph Cottle of Trowbridge. Upon his death, she removed to Bristol, where she lived with her son, Robert Cottle, whose son, Joseph (1770-1853) would become a Bristol bookseller, making a name for himself in the 1790s as publisher of the early poems of Southey, Coleridge, Wordsworth, and some lesser Romantic figures. References to Grace Cottle appear in two letters of Anne Steele to her stepmother; also in William Steele’s letter to Joseph Cottle at Trowbridge, 28 June 1736. Joseph Cottle the bookseller placed a letter by AS to his grandmother, dated 18 May 1761, into his album of autograph letters (known as Cottle’s Bristol Album, now in the possession of Cornell University). For the Anne Steele letters, see Griffin, Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, vol. 2.
Also

Grace Cottle, a cousin of Anne Steele, was originally from Trowbridge, and as a Particular Baptist, would have known the Froudes from nearby Tinhead and Erlstoke, where Edward Froude (d 1714), Anne Steele’s grandfather, served as the Baptist minister for many years. See John Broome, A Bruised Reed. ..., 69. The Cottles maintained a connection with the church in the Pithay until 1808, leaving shortly after the arrival of the Rev. Thomas Roberts (whose preaching Coleridge greatly admired).    During the 1790s the Cottles, however, became frequent attendants at the Baptist Meeting at Broadmead as well.  The church in the Pithay had always had close ties with their neighbour church, even sharing Sunday evening services until 1759, and the ministers and members were frequent attendants at each other’s services.  The congregations were both Calvinistic PBs, except Broadmead allowed for paedobaptists to remain as communicant members, thus creating a form of mixed communion within the body of the church.  These paedobaptists formed their own Independent Congregation at Broadmead in 1757 but continued to meet with the larger church for all preaching services, observing, however, their own communion.  The pastor at Broadmead was thus pastor of two Baptist congregations within the same church ...
In the surviving records of the Pithay congregation, either Joseph Cottle or his father, Robert, appear in a role usually reserved for a deacon.  In 1799 the congregation decided to “suppress” instrumental music, and evidently one prominent member was threatening to leave over the decision. According to the church records,  “At a Church meeting held on Tuesday evening, February 5th, 1799, Brethren Cottle and Whittuck was commissioned to wait on Brother Stone, requesting him to fill up his place in the Church.  Accordingly they did so, and he seemed offended, and at first seemed to hint that he should not return; but after some conversation with him he said he would consider further about it.” We do not know whether Brother Stone remained in the church or not, but apparently other problems may have existed for the Cottles, for a month later, in March 1799, Joseph's three sisters--Anne, Mary, and Sarah--acquired a pew subscription at Broadmead for £2.2. Robert Cottle died c 1799, which may have been a precipitating cause in the removal of the remaining Cottles to Broadmead, for in March 1801 Joseph's mother, Grace, and most likely Joseph himself, joined the three daughters in their pew subscription at Broadmead.  In 1807 the Cottle women began paying £3.3 for the pew seat, maintaining that amount until Mrs. Cottle's death in 1813, at which time the church pew subscription record ends.
On 6 May 1801, Mary and Sarah were baptized by Dr John Ryland, Jr at Broadmead, but only Sarah transferred her membership at that time.  Anne and Mary signed as “Hearers” on 17 January 1802, in relation to the call of the Rev. Henry Page as Assistant Minister at Broadmead, meaning they were not members but “constant Attendants on divine Worship, at the Baptist Meeting-house, in Broadmead, Bristol, & Subscribers to the Support of the Gospel.”  On 12 September 1802, Mary became a member of the Independent Congregation at Broadmead.  On 9 April 1807, Anne was baptized and became a member of the larger non-paedobaptist congregation at Broadmead.  Not until 8 November 1808, did Mrs Cottle transfer her membership to Broadmead from the church in the Pithay, where she was received on the 11th.  During these years Joseph attended Broadmead, but only as a “Hearer” with the Independent Paedobaptist Church at Broadmead to which Mary belongs, signing as such on 16 April 1818, for the call of T. S. Crisp as Assistant Minister, and in 1825 for the call of Robert Hall as Pastor at Broadmead.  In 1830, during the ministry of Robert Hall, the small Independent congregation at Broadmead, having never kept its own records, “thought it advisable to choose Deacons, and to establish Rules, and Regulations, such as may improve the Discipline, and give Regularity to the Church.”  On 1 March 1830, a church record book is begun (the first eight folio pages are in Joseph Cottle's hand) for the thirty-two adult members, which includes Mary Cottle and Joseph, now a full member and deacon in the Independent church and “gentleman” in the community.  On 14 November 1831, Joseph and Mary Cottle sign as representatives of the Independent Church in the call of the Rev. Samuel Nicholson to become minister at Broadmead upon the death of Robert Hall.  However, on 7 December 1832, Joseph and his sister Mary are dismissed in good standing by the church to join their sister Anne at the Zion Chapel in Bedminster, a new Congregational church founded by John Hare, Anne's wealthy husband. See John Silas Merritt’s A Complete History of Old King Street Baptist Church, formerly worshiping in the Pithay, originally at the Fryers. A.D. 1640 to A.D. 1933, f. 84A (this manuscript book now resides at the Bristol Record Office); also Subscription for Pew Seats 1772-1813, Broadmead Records, Bristol Record Office, Bd/A2/2.   

The inscription on the tomb

This is a reminder of the words on Anne Steele's tomb. The author appears to be her niece, Mary Steele.

Silent the lyre, and dumb the tuneful tongue

That sung on earth her great Redeemer's praise;

But now in heav'n she joins th' angelic song,

'In more harmonious, more exalted lays'.

An anonymous description in verse

Her hymns are evangelical
They are of matchless worth.
They are sung by congregations
Through nearly all the earth.

Anne Dutton's Bible

In a 1919 edition of  Notes and Queries there is an entry on page 247 that reads thus

Mrs. ANNE Dutton (12 S. ii. 147, 197, 215, 274, 338, 471; iii. 78, 130).— Hearing that the identical Bible used by her was still in existence and preserved in the Baptist Library, Broughton, Hants, I wrote making inquiries, when I received a photograph of it, with the following particulars. Size 64 in. by 3 1/2 in. by 1 3/4 in., bound in leather, with two metal clasps, one of which is broken. Title page: — "The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testament. Newly translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised. |With Marginal notes| showing| The Scripture to (be) the best Interpreter of Scripture |London.| Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb deceas'd.| Printers to the King and Most Excellent Majesty Anno Dom. 1698."

After the names and order of the Books there is an address, "To the Reader on the Scripture being the best Interpreter of Scripture," signed -"John Canne."

On one of the fly-leaves (in very minute writing) is a copy of an address:—

"To the right honourable Lords and Commons assembled in the high Court of PARLIAMENT, Great Reformers, &c., also signed 'John Canne.' Extracted from ye Amsterdam Edition of Canne's Bible. 12mo, 1647.'

"Inscriptions| Ann Dutton or One who hath tasted that the 'Lord' is gracious.| Great Gransden |Huntingdonshire."

Inserted in another hand:—

"Died 1706, November 17| Anne Steele Junr. |Broughton, Hampshire?

Also in another hand :—

"Theodosia died 1778, Nov. 11th, aged 61 yrs."

The last inscription is in Dutton's own unmistakable minute hand, with "the Lord " as always by her in capitals, and most probably the above extract from Canne's is hers also, as her husband visited Holland, and preached at Rotterdam in 1736.
My kind correspondent at Broughton asks the usual question: "Who was Mrs. Dutton?" The unique library at Broughton was collected by John Collins of Devizes, a former deacon at Broughton, and bequeathed to the church there at his death. Diligent search has been made, but no work of Mrs. Dutton's can be found among its treasures, and how or when the Bible came into the possession of the afflicted but gifted hymn writer Anne Steele yet remains to be known. Neither ladies at any time travelled far from their homes but might have known each other by correspondence, and similarity of sentiment. Mrs. Dutton's correspondence was very extensive. R. H.

(This Bible is now in the Angus Library, Oxford).

The Butterfly

Pretty vagrant of the air,
Emblem of the thoughtless fair:
Near akin their life and thine,
Both a fleeting summer shine.
Short delight your charms impart,
Charms to catch the human heart:
Hearts that can be caught with show.
The virtuoso or the beau.
Thoughtless nymphs are butterflies,
Different species, larger size;
Strangers both to needful care,
Fluttering, roving here and there;
Basking in the vernal ray.
Trifling out the summer's day:

Summer's day from youth to age,
Trifles all their cares engage:
But when wintry storms arise,
Beauty fades, and pleasure dies.
Me let nobler cares employ.
Cares which terminate in joy.
Ere the summer sunbeams flee.
Let me, like the frugal bee,
Well improve the smiling hour,
Gathering sweets from every flower.
O may virtue's charms be mine.
Charms that still increasing shine!
These will cheer the wintry gloom.
These will last beyond the tomb.