David Thomas Morgan

David Thomas Morgan (17 September 1809 – 14 November 1886) was a British timber merchant, known as a translator of hymns.

Life

Morgan was born in East Ham, and attended a school in Woodford run by Dr. Oake. He traded in timber under his own name, then going into partnership with his cousin, Thomas Samuel Gellibrand, the partners trading as Morgan, Gellibrand & Co. He was also a director of the Surrey Commercial Dock Company.

In 1861 Morgan moved from Leytonstone a short distance to the Clock House, Wood Street, Walthamstow, in the area called Whipps Cross. There he built up a good library. A generation later the building was used by the Salvation Army. He withdrew from the partnership with Gellibrand and David John Morgan, his son, in 1867.

Family

Morgan married in 1839 Mary Ridge, youngest daughter of the late Captain James Brook Ridge, of the East India Company Army. Their children included:

* Henry Thornhill Morgan, eldest son, cleric.
* David John Morgan, partner in Morgan, Gellibrand & Co. and Member of Parliament.
* Charles James Morgan (1855/6–1929), at Radley School to 1872, wood broker as partner of Foy, Morgan & Co.

Mary Morgan died at Oakhurst, South Weald in 1900.

Translations from Latin

Morgan published in 1871 ''Hymns of the Latin Church'', which was printed privately. It was followed by ''Hymns and Poems of the Latin Church, Translated'' (1880), a collection with about twice as many translations.

His translations included:

*''Ad perennis vitae fontem'', as "For Life's Eternal Spring".
*''Chorea mutualis sive lessus de sortis et mortis in humanas res imperio'' by Jacob Balde
*''Clarum decus jejunii'' by Gregory the Great, as "Depths of love with power divine".
*''Collaudemus Magdalenae'' as "Sing we now with praiseful voices".
*''Cum me tenent fallacia'' by Wilhelm Alard.
*'' Dies irae, dies illa'' as "The day of wrath, that dreadful day".
*''Gloriosus Salvatoris'', as "The glories of the Saviour's Name".
*''Jam Christi sol justitiae'', as "Jesu, Sun of our salvation".
*''Labente jam solis rota'' by Charles Coffin, as "Now with rapid wheel inclining"
*''Lugete, pacis Angeli'' by Charles Coffin, as "Angels of peace, bewail"
*''Nato nobis Salvatore'' by Adam of St Victor, as "Come, let us celebrate the morn"
*''Nil laudibus nostris eges'' by Charles Coffin, as "Father in heaven! Thy glory".
*''O esca viatorum'', as "Behold the traveller fed".
*''O fons amoris, Spiritus'' by Charles Coffin, as "All-Gracious Spirit, fount of love".
*From the ''Sequences'' of Adam of St Victor, 15 pieces.
*''O fortis, o clemens Deus'' by Charles Coffin, as "Unto Thee, O Father, merciful and mighty".
*''O Luce qui mortalibus'' by Charles Coffin, as "God, who in the unapproached light".
*''O quam juvat fratres, Deus'' by Charles Coffin, as "O God, O loving God, by whom Thy Church".
*''O quanta qualia sunt illa Sabbata'' by Peter Abelard, as "O what must be the sabbaths".
*''Primo dierum omnium'' by Gregory the Great, as "Welcome! thou chiefest of all days".
*''Qui procedis ab utroque'' by Adam of St Victor, as "O Comforter, All-blessed one".
*From ''Quicumque Christum quaeritis'' by Prudentius, as "Sweet Martyr flowers, fresh from your early dawn".
*''Recordare Sanctae Crucis'' by Bonaventure, as "In the holy Cross delight".
*''Rerum Creator omnium'' by Charles Coffin, as "Maker of all, vouchsafe to bless".
*''Rex Christe, factor omnium'' by Gregory the Great, as "O Thou by Whom the worlds were made".
*''Salve Mundi salutare'', supposed to be by Bernard of Clairvaux, as "Saviour of the world, to Thee, Blessed One I bow the knee".
*''Splendor paternae gloriae'' by Ambrose, as "O Thou, the Splendour of the Father's glory" (1871) and "O Thou the Brightness of the Father's glory" (1880).
*''Stabat mater dolorosa'', as "By His Cross the Mother stood, Hanging on its fatal wood".
*''Statuta decreto Dei'' by Charles Coffin, as "Sing we now redeeming love".
*''Stola regni laureatus'' by Adam of St Victor, as "To the apostolic cohort" (1871) and "Glorious cohort apostolic".
*''Summi pusillus grex Patris'' by Guillaume de la Brunetière, as "Little flock, be not afraid".
*''Supernae matris gaudia'' by Adam of St Victor, as "Those endless joys the Church on earth pourtrays".
*''Supreme Motor cordium'' by Charles Coffin, as "O Sovereign Mover of the heart".
*''Templi sacratas pande, Sion, fores'' by Jean-Baptiste de Santeüil, as "Set wide the temple gate".
*''Tu Christe nostrum gaudium'' as "O Christ, our joy, gone up on high".
*''Ultricibus nos undique'' by Charles Coffin, as "Great Searcher of our hearts, whilst Thy, &c."
*'' Urbs beata Hierusalem dicta pacis visio'', as "Hail Jerusalem the blessed, peaceful city, vision dear".
*''Ut jucundas cervus undas, aestuans desiderat'', as "The thirsty hart pants with desire".
*''Urbs Syon inclyta'', as "Hail Zion, city of our God".
*''Veni creator spiritus'', as "Creator Spirit, come in love".
*''Veni redemptor gentium'', translated as "O Come, Redeemer of Mankind" (1880).
*''Veni sancte spiritus'', as "Come, Holy Spirit, nigh, And from the Heaven on high".
*''Verbum caro factum est, Ex virgine Maria'', as "Not made, nor yet created, came".
*''Vox clarescat, mens purgetur'', as "With hearts renewed, and cleansed from guilt of sin".
*''Vox sonora nostri chori'', as "Come let our choir, with full accord".

Robert Maude Moorsom's ''Historical Companion'' to ''Hymns Ancient & Modern'' mentioned four of Morgan's translations included in that collection.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, David Thomas
1809 births
1886 deaths
British businesspeople
English translators
19th-century hymnwriters