| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
|
|||
|
I inferred that (although the entire masque had not been performed in public), ; Rule, Britannia, had then attained popularity. Some detached pieces of the masque had been sung in Dublin, on the occasion of Arne's visit with his wife, I but no record of any other public performances has hitherto been discovered.
The words of the masque were by Thomson and Mallet, but Thomson seems to I have taken the lead in the affair, since, in the newspapers of the day, he alone I is mentioned as the author. In the book, the names of Thomson and Mallet are both given.
The authorship of Rule, Britannia, has been ascribed to Thomson, by Ritson i and cither authorities, but a claim has recently been made for Mallet, on the j strength of an advertisement prefixed by him to an altered edition of Alfred, ) in 1751, after Thomson's death. He writes thus: " According to the present arrangement of the fable, I was obliged to reject a great deal of what I had i written in the other; neither could I retain of my friend's part more than three \ or four single speeches and a part of one song." It appears, however, that three stanzas of Rule, Britannia, were retained, and three others added by Lord Bolingbroke: such an argument in favour of Mallet is therefore very inconclusive. .' The only point in it is, that Mallet uses the word " song " in the advertisement, and retains the title of " ode" in the book; but Rule, Britannia, may with equal accuracy be described as a song. Would Mallet have allowed Lord Bolingbroke so to mutilate the most successful song in the piece, if it had been his own ? For internal evidence in favour of Thomson, see his poems, " Britannia," and Liberty." Further information about Rule, Britannia, will be found in Dr. Dinsdale's excellent edition of Mallet's works, and in the pages of Notes and Queries, including a refutation of M. Schoelcher's charge against Arne of having I copied from Handel. See 2nd Series, Nos. 86, 99, 103, 109, 111, and 120. Ride, Britannia, soon became a favorite with the Jacobite party. Ritson mentions a Jacobite parody, of which he was unable to procure a copy, but the chorus
■ ran thus:— "Rise, Britannia! Britannia, rise and fight!
Restore your injured monarch's right." Another will be found in The True Royalist; Or Chevalier's favorite, being a collection of Elegant Songs never before printed. It is entitled " A Song. Tune. When Britain first, at heaven's command. As the book is not easily I procured, the song is subjoined:— |
|||
|
|
|||
|
" Brit mnia, rouse at heav'n's command ! t Ami crown thy native Prince again; Then Peace shall bless thy happy land, And Plenty pour in from the main : Then shalt thou be—Britannia, thou shalt Prom homo and foreign tyrants free, [be
Behold, great Charles ! thy godlike son, With majesty and sweetness crown'd; His worth th' admiring world doth own, J And fame's loud trump proclaims the
sound. Thy captain him, Britannia, him declare !
■ Of kings and heroes he's the heir.
The second hope young Hero claims, W Th' extended empire of the main ; His breast with fire and courage (lames, |
He (Neptune-like), Britannia, will defy All but the thunder of the sky.
The happiest states must yield to thee,
. When free from dire corruption's thrall; Of land and sea thou'It Emp'ror be,
And ride triumphant round the ball: Britannia, unite ! Britannia must prevail, Her powerful hand must guide the scale.
Then, Britons, rouse! with trumpets'
sound [June 12]
Proclaim this solemn, happy day!
Let mirth, with cheerful music crown'd,
Drive sullen thoughts and cares away !
Come, Britons, sing! Britannia draw thy
sword, Anel use it fur thy rightful lord !" |
||
|
With Nature's bountls to fix thy reign. |
|||
|
|
|||