In the preface to the "Hymns" Newton says: "They should be Hymns, not Odes, if designed for public worship, and for the use of plain people". Newton also explains his two primary motives for publishing: his desire to promote "the faith and comfort of sincere Christians", and as a permanent record of his friendship with Cowper. Newton is attributed with suggesting that he and Cowper collaborate on a collection of hymns, ultimately drawn largely from Newton's texts accumulated over some 10 years (by the time of publication). Of the 348 hymns in the original published edition of 1779, some commentaries state that Cowper wrote just 66 between 1772 and 1773, and Newton the remainder, while other sources attribute 67 to Cowper. It is known, however, that Newton wrote some of the hymns in direct response to events around him: "Oh for a closer walk with God" for instance was written by Cowper in response to the serious illness then being suffered by his house companion, Mary Unwin, an illness she survived.