{
 "id": "william-cowper/the-hidden-life",
 "title": "The Hidden Life",
 "ordinal": "47",
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "William Cowper",
 "poet_slug": "william-cowper",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Olney Hymns",
 "book_slug": "olney-hymns",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 288,
 "container": "IV Comfort",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1779,
  "venue": "Olney Hymns (1779)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_olney-hymns-in-three-bo_newton-john_1779",
   "https://cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk/bulletin/computerised-index-to-the-olney-hymns/",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-newton_william-cowper_olney-hymns",
  "file": "book-3.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns_%281840%29",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-15"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 24,
  "n_stanzas": 6,
  "n_parts": 6,
  "longest_line_chars": 42,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [
  {
   "ordinal": "I",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    0,
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "II",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    1,
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "III",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    2,
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "IV",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    3,
    4
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "V",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    4,
    5
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VI",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    5,
    6
   ]
  }
 ],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "To tell the Saviour all my wants,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How pleasing is the task!",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Nor less to praise him when he grants",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Beyond what I can ask.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "My lab’ring spirit vainly seeks",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To tell but half the joy;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "With how much tenderness he speaks,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And helps me to reply.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Nor were it wise, nor should I choose,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Such secrets to declare;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Like precious wines, their taste they lose",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Exposed to open air.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But this with boldness I proclaim,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Nor care if thousands hear,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Sweet is the ointment of his name,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not life is half so dear.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And can you frown, my former friends.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who knew what once I was;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And blame the song that thus commends",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The Man who bore the cross?",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Trust me, I draw the likeness true,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And not as fancy paints;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Such honour may he give to you,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For such have all his saints.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}