Prune thou thy words the thoughts control

Author: John Henry Newman

Newman, John Henry , D.D. The hymnological side of Cardinal Newman's life and work is so small when compared with the causes which have ruled, and the events which have accompanied his life as a whole, that the barest outline of biographical facts and summary of poetical works comprise all that properly belongs to this work. Cardinal Newman was the eldest son of John Newman, and was born in London, Feb. 21, 1801. He was educated at Ealing under Dr. John Nicholas, and at Trinity College, Oxford, where he graduated in honours in 1820, and became a Fellow of Oriel in 1822. Taking Holy Orders in 1824, he was for a short time Vice-Principal of St. Alban's Hall, and then Tutor of Oriel. His appointment to St. Mary's, Oxford, was in the spring of… Go to person page >

Prune thou thy words, thy thoughts control. Cardinal Newman. (Flowers without Fruit.) “Written off Sardinia, June 20, 1833." It was published in Lyra Apostolica, 1836, p. 80 (ed. 1879, p. 85), in 3 stanzas of 8 lines.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)