There is a land of pure delight. I. Watts. [Heaven anticipated.] First published in his Hymns and Sacred Songs, 1707, and again in the 2nd ed., 1709, Bk. ii., as No. 66, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines, with the heading "A prospect of Heaven makes Death easy." In the older collections very many variations in the text were introduced, but most of these have gone out of use. Of those which remain the following appeared in Hall's Mitre Hymn Book., 1836, No. 182:—
Stanza i. “Infinite day " to "Eternal day."
Stanza ii. " Never with'ring" to "Never fading."
"This heavenly" to “That heavenly."
Stanza v. " Could we make" to "could we all"
Stanza vi. " We but climb" to "we but stand."
The last alteration was made by Bishop Blomfield, to whom the "proofs" of the Mitre Hymn Book were submitted. Other variations are found in the text in some hymn-books: but latterly a strong reaction has taken place in favour of the original as given in Lord Selborne's Book of Praise, 1862-7. The use of this hymn has extended to all English-speaking countries, and it has been translated into many languages. In his Hymnologia Christiana Latina, 1871, R. Bingham has rendered four stanzas into Latin as, "Extat terra procul sanctis habitata beatis." This hymn is one of the earliest of Watts's compositions. A tradition exists in Southampton that it was suggested by the view of the Isle of Wight as seen from that town.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >
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