After "A Song to David", he tried to publish a collection of his "Psalms" translations, and Newbery sought to ruin him by hiring James Merrick to produce his own translations. Newbery then hired Smart's new publisher, James Fletcher, which in turn forced Smart to find a new publisher, delaying the printing of his "Psalms". Finally, on 12 August 1765, he printed "A Translation of the Psalms of David", which included "Hymns and Spiritual Songs" and a second edition of "A Song to David". This work was criticised by Tobias Smollett who was working with Newbery at the time, and Newbery's edition by Merrick was constantly compared with Smart's. However, modern criticism has received Smart's version in a more favourable light. While working on this project, he was also working on a translation of the "Phaedrus" and a verse translation of "Horace". His verse "Horace" was published in July 1767 including a preface in which he attacked Newbery, but the attack was in vain because Newbery died soon after.