Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 25 November 1748) was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician.

. A prolific and popular hymn writer, he was recognized as the "Father of English Hymnody"(the composition or singing of hymns), credited with some 750 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in use today, and have been translated into many languages. Born in Southampton, England, in 1674, Watts was brought up in the home of a committed religious Nonconformist his father, also Isaac Watts, had been incarcerated twice for his controversial views. At King Edward VI School (where one of the houses is now named "Watts" in his honour), Watts learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew. From an early age, Watts displayed a propensity for rhyme. Once, he had to explain how he came to have his eyes open during prayers: A little mouse for want of stairs ran up a rope to say its prayers. Receiving corporal punishment for this, he cried: O father, father, pity take And I will no more verses make.[1] Watts, unable to go to either Oxford or Cambridge on account of his non-conformity, went to the Dissenting Academy at Stoke Newington in 1690, and much of his life centred around that village, which is now part of Inner London. His education led him to the pastorate of a large independent chapel in London, where he found himself in the position of helping trainee preachers, despite his poor health. Taking work as a private tutor, Watts lived with the Nonconformist Hartopp family at Fleetwood House, on Church Street in Stoke Newington, and later in the household of their immediate neighbours Sir Thomas Abney andLady Mary. Though a Nonconformist, Sir Thomas practised occasional conformity to the Church of England, as necessitated by his being Lord Mayor of London between 1700 and 1701. Likewise, Isaac Watts held religious opinions that were more non-denominational or ecumenical than was at that time common for a Nonconformist; he had a greater interest in promoting education and scholarship than preaching for any particular ministry. On the death of Sir Thomas Abney, Watts moved permanently with his widow and her remaining unmarried daughter, Elizabeth, to Abney House in Stoke Newington, a property that Mary had inherited from her brother. He lived there from 1748 to his death. The grounds at Abney Park led down to an island heronry in the Hackney Brook, where he sought inspiration for the many books and hymns he wrote. Watts died in Stoke Newington in 1748, and was buried in Bunhill Fields, having left an extensive legacy of hymns, treatises, educational works and essays. His work was influential amongst Nonconformist independents and early religious revivalists, such as Philip Doddridge, who dedicated his best known work to Watts. On his death, Isaac Watts' papers were given to Yale University inthen-colonial Connecticut.

Significant cultural or contemporary impacts

One of his best known poems was an exhortation "Against Idleness And Mischief" in Divine Songs for Children, a poem which was famously parodied by Lewis Carroll in his book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in the poem "How Doth the Little Crocodile", which is now better known than the original. In the 1884 comic opera called Princess Ida, there is a punning reference to Watts in Act I. At Princess Ida's women's university no males of any kind are allowed, and the Princess's father, King Gama, relates that "She'll scarcely suffer Dr. Watts' 'hymns'". Isaac Watts is commemorated in the Church of England, the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on November 25 and in theEpiscopal Church (USA) on November 26. In the 1850 novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, school master Dr. Strong quotes from Watts' Against Idleness And Mischief: "Satan finds some mischief still, for idle hands to do."

Works
Books
The Improvement of the Mind - first three chapters as text from Wikisource - 1815 Edition s:The Improvement of the Mind The Improvement of the Mind Vol 1 Vol 2 at The Internet Archive Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences[1] A Short View of the Whole Scripture History: With a Continuation of the Jewish Affairs From the Old Testament Till the Time of Christ; and an Account of the Chief Prophesies that Relate to Him[2] Apparently, Watts is thought to have been the author of the tract: An Essay on the Freedom of Will in God and Creatures (copy on The Internet Archive).

Hymns
Some of Watts' hymns include: Joy to the world (arranged by Lowell Mason to an older melody originating from Handel) Come ye that love the Lord (often sung with the chorus [and titled] "Were marching to Zion") Come Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove Jesus shall reign whereer the sun O God, Our Help in Ages Past When I survey the wondrous cross Alas! and did my Saviour bleed

This is the day the Lord has made 'Tis by Thy strength the mountains stand

Divine and Moral Songs for Children, by Isaac Watts.

The author of Logic and The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts realized that songs were an excellent way to teach theology and morality to young children. So he wrote these Divine and Moral Songs for young ones as a teaching tool to augment their catechisms. The divine songs teach children theology: providence, redemption, thanksgiving, the gospel, etc. The moral songs teach character and morality, the evils of keeping bad company, swearing, lying, etc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Divine Songs Song 1. A General Song of Praise to God, Song 2. Praise for Creation and Providence, Song 3. Praise to God for our Redemption, Song 4. Praise for Mercies, Song 5. Praise for birth and education in a Christian land., Song 6. Praise for the Gospel, Song 7. The excellency of the Bible, Song 8. Praise to God for learning to read, Song 9. The all-seeing God, Song 10. Solemn thoughts on God and death, Song 11. Heaven and Hell, Song 12. The advantages of early religion, Song 13. The danger of delay, Song 14. Examples of early piety, Song 15. Against lying, Song 16. Against quarrelling and fighting, Song 17. Love between brothers and sisters, Song 18.Against scoffing and calling names, Song 19. Against cursing, swearing, and taking God's name in vain, Song 20. Against idleness and mischief, Song 21. Against evil company, Song 22. Against pride in clothes, Song 23. Obedience to parents, Song 24. The child's complaint, Song 25. A morning song, Song 26. An evening song, Song 27. For the Lord's-day morning, Song 28. For the Lord's-day evening. The Ten Commandments Moral Songs Song 1. The sluggard, Song 2. Innocent play, Song 3. The Rose, Song 4. The thief, Song 5. The ant, or emmet, Song 6. Good resolutions, Song 7. Summer's evening, Cradle hymn.