His Royal Highness Frederick Prince of Wales, son of King George the Second, was opposed to his father not only in politics, but also in his tastes and amusements. The King had no liking for, or appreciation of, British men and things; the Prince, on the contrary, assiduously cultivated a knowledge of the English laws and constitution, and strove to assimilate his tastes and feelings to those of the people he expected one day to rule and govern. He zealously promoted such measures as he thought desirable for the public welfare, and patronized men of eminence connected with arts, science, and literature. His beautiful residence, Cliefden, In 1740 the Prince of Wales resolved to celebrate in a special manner two important events—the Accession of the House of Hanover to the throne of England, and the anniversary of the birth of his little daughter, the Princess Augusta, born on the 31st of July, 1737. For the occasion the services of Mallet and Thomson were called into requisition. John Rich, the successful actor-manager, was also commissioned to prepare various stage performances. Rich had become popular from his connection with Gay’s “Beggar’s Opera,” which he had the good fortune to produce at the theatre in Lincoln’s Inn Fields Great preparations were made at Cliefden, and on the 1st of August, the Prince of Wales received his guests. An interesting account of the proceedings was printed in the London Daily Post and General Advertiser of Saturday, the 2nd, in the following words: “Last night was performed at the gardens of Cliefden, (in commemoration of the Accession of his late Majesty King George, and in Honour of the Birth of the Princess Augusta; their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, with all their Court being present,) a new Masque of Two Acts, taken from the various Fortunes of Alfred the Great by Mr. Thomson; and performed by Mr. Quin, Mr. Milward, Mrs. Horton, and others from both Theatres;—also a Masque of Music, call’d ‘The Judgement of Paris’ writ by Mr. Dryden; It is remarkable that the newspaper report makes no mention of Thomas Arne, who composed the music for both Masques, whose work alone has rescued from oblivion the memory of the proceedings. One of the songs in “Alfred” was “Rule, Britannia.” The Masque is forgotten; poet and composer, and they who first heard its thrilling burst from chorus and orchestra are mouldering in their tombs; the halls through which the strain resounded have long since perished; but the enthusiasm then awakened still vibrates in the British heart to the sound of the words, Rule, Britannia, Britannia rule the waves. Thomas Arne resided at Cliefden before and during the FÊte; his wife, who was one of the principal vocalists in both Masques, many years afterwards told her grand-niece, Cecilia Maria Barthelemon, that she witnessed a curious scene on Very shortly after the performance, on the 19th of August, Millar, the bookseller and publisher, issued the libretto of “Alfred”: the title of the book reads: “Alfred, a Masque Represented before Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, At Clifden, (sic) on the First of August, 1740. London Printed for A. Millar, over against St. Clement’s Church in the Strand MDCCXL.” A perusal of the publication shows that Mr. Milward represented King Alfred; Mrs. Horton, the King’s wife, Eltruda; Mr. Quin, a Hermit; Mr. Mills, the Earl of Devon; Mr. Salway, Corin, a Shepherd; Mrs. Clive, Emma, the Shepherd’s wife. Two other characters, a Bard and a Spirit, have no names attached, but we know that the part of the Spirit was sung by Mrs. Arne. The Masque consists almost entirely of speaking parts; the first introduction of music is a song for Emma, the Shepherd’s wife, who has a delightful little ditty to the words: O peace! the fairest child of heaven, To whom the sylvan reign was given, The vale, the fountain and the grove, With every softer scene of love. Return, sweet peace, and cheer the weeping swain; Return with ease and pleasure in thy train. This charming song was doubtless well sung by Kitty Clive, who, a few years later, was the first to warble Arne’s exquisite melody, “Where the bee sucks.” The third scene opens with a stage direction—“Solemn music is heard at a distance. It comes nearer in full symphony: after which a single trumpet sounds a high and awakening air. Then the following stanzas are sung by two aerial spirits unseen: “Hear, Alfred, father of the state Thy genius heaven’s high will declare! What proves the hero truly great, Is never, never to despair: Thy hope awake, thy heart expand With all its vigour, all its fires. Arise! and save a sinking land— Thy country calls, and heaven inspires.” If Arne composed music for the above, it was never published. The next air is sung by Eltruda, the Queen, represented by Mrs. Horton. It was sung off the stage, and according to Arne’s score was accompanied by harpsichord and flute, the latter instrument echoing the voice-part. The libretto has two verses, but only the following was performed: Sweet valley, say, where, pensive lying, For me, our children, England, sighing, The best of mortals leans his head. Ye fountains, dimpled by my sorrow, Ye brooks that my complainings borrow, O lead me to his lonely bed: Or if my lover, Deep woods, you cover, Ah, whisper where your shadows o’er him spread! In the third scene, second Act, after a dialogue between Alfred, Eltruda and the Hermit, the latter summons the “Genius of England.” Then the stage direction is “Music grand and awful. The Genius descending sings the following song”: From these eternal regions bright, Where suns, that never set in night, Diffuse the golden day: Where spring unfading pours around, O’er all the dew-impearled ground, Her thousand colors gay: O whether on the fountain’s flowery side, Whence living waters glide, Or in the fragrant grove Whose shade embosoms peace and love, New pleasures all your hours employ, And rapture every sense with every joy! Great heirs of empire! yet unborn, Who shall this island late adorn; A monarch’s drooping thought to chear, Appear! Appear! Appear! Possibly this song may have been omitted at the performance. Music for it cannot be found. The spirits of Edward the Third, Philipa his Queen, and their son the Black Prince, arise together; afterwards Queen Elizabeth, succeeded by William the Third—all are described by the Hermit. The next scene opens with a “Symphony of Martial music.” The last scene affords an opportunity for Emma, the Shepherd’s wife, represented by Kitty Clive, to sing a bright and sprightly melody, If those, who live in Shepherd’s bower, Press not the rich and stately bed: The new-mown hay and breathing flower A softer couch beneath them spread. If those, who sit at Shepherd’s board, Soothe not their taste by wanton art: They take what Nature’s gifts afford, And take it with a chearful heart. If those, who drain the Shepherd’s bowl, No high and sparkling wines can boast, With wholesome cups they chear the soul, And crown them with the village toast. If those who join in Shepherd’s sport, Gay-dancing on the daizy’d ground. Have not the splendor of a court; Yet Love adorns the merry round. A short dialogue between Alfred and Eltruda follows, and then the Hermit speaks, “Behold, my Lord, our venerable Bard, “Aged and blind, him whom the Muses favour. You ere you go, in our lov’d country’s praise, That noblest theme, hear what his rapture breathes.” This is immediately succeeded by AN ODE.When Britain first at heaven’s command, Arose from out the azure main: This was the charter of the land, And guardian Angels sung this strain: “Rule, Britannia, rule the waves: The nations, not so blest as thee, Must in their turns, to tyrants fall: While thou shalt flourish great and free, The dread and envy of them all. “Rule,” etc. Still more majestic shalt thou rise, More dreadful, from each foreign stroke: As the loud blast that tears the skies, Serves but to root thy native oak. “Rule,” etc. Thee haughty tyrants ne’er shall tame: All their attempts to bend thee down, Will but arouse thy generous flame; But work their woe, and thy renown. “Rule,” etc. To thee belongs the rural reign; Thy cities shall with commerce shine; All thine shall be the subject main, And every shore it circles thine. “Rule,” etc. The Muses, still with freedom found, Shall to thy happy coast repair: Blest isle! with matchless beauty crown’d, And manly hearts to guard the fair. “Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves.” Each of the foregoing verses was sung as a solo with the choral refrain “Rule, Britannia.” The venerable bard was represented by Mr. Thomas Lowe, Alfred, go forth! lead on the radiant years, To thee reveal’d in vision.——Lo! they rise! Lo! patriots, heroes, sages, crowd to birth: And bards to sing them in immortal verse! I see thy commerce, Britain, grasp the world: All nations serve thee; every foreign flood, Subjected, pays its tribute to the Thames. Thither the golden South obedient pours His sunny treasures: thither the soft East Her spices, delicacies, gentle gifts; And thither his rough trade the stormy North. See, where beyond the vast Atlantic surge, By boldest keels untouch’d, a dreadful space! Shores, yet unfound, arise! in youthful prime, With towering forests, mighty rivers crown’d! These stoop to Britain’s thunder. This new world, Shook to the centre, trembles at her name: And there, her sons with aim exalted, sow The seeds of rising empire, arts, and arms. Britons proceed, the subject Deep command, Awe with your navies every hostile land. In vain their threats; their armies all in vain: They rule the balanc’d world, who rule the main. Although the libretto of “Alfred” was published a few days after the performance at Cliefden, the music remained in manuscript; possibly Arne did not consider the number of pieces, only five, sufficient to warrant the expense of publication; it is certain however that the “Rule, Britannia” Ode caught the public ear, and became celebrated. When therefore the “Judgement of Paris” Masque was published, about 1741, the opportunity was taken of printing the score of “Rule, Britannia.” The volume consists of sixty-one pages, and the title-page reads: “The music in the Judgement of Paris, consisting of All the Songs, Duettos and Trio, with the Overture in Score, as perform’d by Mr. Beard, Mr. Lowe, Mrs. Arne, Mrs. Clive, Miss Edwards and others at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. To which (by particular Desire of Several Encouragers of the Work) are added the Celebrated Ode, in Honour of Great-Britain call’d Rule, Britannia, and Sawney and Jenney, a favourite Dialogue, in the Scotch Stile. The whole compos’d by Thomas Augustine Arne. Opera Sesta. London. Printed for Henry Waylett, at the Black Lyon in Exeter Change in the Strand, and sold by him, and at all the music shops in London and Westminster, where may be had five other volumes of the Author’s Works.” It was not before 1751 that the other music of “Alfred” was published. The title-page reads: “The Masque of Alfred compos’d by Mr. Arne. London. Printed for I. Walsh in Catherine Street in the Strand.” The volume consists of eighty-three pages; but the “celebrated Ode” is conspicuous by its The first published score of “Rule, Britannia” enables us to note that both words and music have undergone considerable changes, some of them undoubtedly improvements and others the reverse. The elimination of the short ritornelles, or symphonies, which Arne wrote between the several lines of the verses, brings the subject-matter closer together and makes it more adaptable for a national song. On the other hand, the alteration of the melody in the last bar of the solo cannot be commended, neither can the change of melody and harmony at the end of the first bar of the chorus. As originally composed it was very strong, virile, and characteristic of Arne. It would, however, be injudicious now to attempt to restore the original; custom and the popular ear have stereotyped the prevailing version. It is noteworthy that Chappell’s “Popular Music of the Olden Time,” and also the reprint of that work, give the erroneous version without comment. The Gentleman’s Magazine of 1755, with the exception of some typographical errors, faithfully After the performance of “Alfred” at Cliefden, we can trace no public representation of any of the music before the 21st July, 1742, when Mrs. Arne sang the air, “O Peace, thou fairest child of Heaven,” at a concert in Dublin. The work was advertised for performance in Dublin in 1743, but was not actually produced until the following year. On the 28th of February and 3rd of March an advertisement appeared in Faulkner’s Journal—“The Third Night of the Subscription, at the Theatre-royal in Smock Alley, on Saturday next, being the 10th of this Inst., March, will be performed the Judgement of Paris, written by Mr. Congreve and set to music by Mr. Arne, with all the Chorusses as performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane; after which will be performed a new Serenata, called Alfred, composed by Mr. Arne, at the special Command of his Royal Highness, Frederick Prince of Wales, and never performed but at his Palace at Cliefden, which concludes with a favourite Ode in Honour of Great Britain, beginning, When Britain first at Heav’n’s command. N.B. Attendance will be given at the Theatre on each Day of Performance.” In May and June, 1744, for the benefit of the For this performance the libretto had been considerably altered, re-written in fact, and Arne had composed the additional music required; the title-page of the revised book reads: “Alfred, an Opera. Alter’d from the Play, written by Mr. Thomson and Mr. Mallet, in Honour of the Birth-Day of Her Royal Highness, The Young Princess Augusta. The Musick was composed by Mr. Arne, and perform’d with the Play at Cliffden in Buckinghamshire at the Special Command of His Royal Highness, Frederic, Prince of Wales. London. Printed for A. Millar at Buchanan’s Head, Opposite Catherine Street in the Strand. M.DCC.XLX.” The dramatis personÆ were all singers, Mr. Lowe, the tenor, represented Alfred, King of England; Master Connel, Prince Edward, son of Alfred; Mr. Baildon, Earl of Devon; Mr. Baker, Corin, a shepherd; Mrs. Arne, Eltruda, Queen of England; Miss Young, the First Spirit; Miss Sybilla, the Second Spirit; Miss Young, a Shepherdess, wife of Corin. The first libretto (1740) of “Alfred” was certainly written by Thomson. It contained many fine lines which are not to be found in the 1745 book. Two A vision to my phantasy appear’d— I liv’d thro’ future ages; felt the virtue, The great the glorious passions that will fire Distant posterity: when guardian laws Are by the patriot, in the glowing senate, Won from corruption; when th’ impatient arm Of liberty, invincible, shall scourge The tyrants of mankind,—and when the Deep, Through all her swelling waves, shall proudly joy Beneath the boundless empire of thy sons. Alfred the King speaks: In thoughtless, gay prosperity, when all Attends our wish; when nought is seen around us But kneeling flattery, and obedient fortune; Then are blind mortals apt, within themselves To fix their stay, forgetful of the giver, But when thus humbled, Alfred, as thou art, When to their feeble natural powers reduc’d, ’Tis then they feel this universal truth— That heaven is all—and man is nothing. The 1745 book doubtless owed its rearrangement and some of its lyrics to Mallet; it provides twenty sets of words which require music, but if these were set by Arne, eight can no longer be traced. In 1754 a new version of the libretto was published with the title: “Alfred the Great, an Oratorio, As it was Represented at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. The Musick was composed by Mr. Arne. London: Printed for A. Miller, in the Strand. MDCCLIV.” The advertisement, or preface, to the book reads: “This Oratorio is altered from Alfred, Nymphs and shepherds, come away, and he makes the second Act end with a Grand Chorus: How sleep the Brave, who sink to Rest, By all their Country’s Wishes blest! When Spring, with dewy Fingers cold, Returns to deck their hallow’d Mould, She then shall dress a sweeter Sod Than Fancy’s Feet have ever trod. There Honour comes, a Pilgrim grey, To bless the Turf that wraps their clay; And Freedom shall a while repair, To dwell a weeping Hermit there. By Hands unseen the Knell is rung; By Fairy Forms their Dirge is sung. These exquisite lines were written by William Collins in 1746; but when Mallet annexed and printed them, without acknowledgment, the unfortunate author was in a lunatic asylum, and therefore quite incapable of protecting himself. When Mallet produced his version of “Alfred” for Garrick in 1751, he endeavoured to make folk believe that he wrote the words of the Ode, “Rule, Britannia.” They had been printed in Edinburgh in a popular song-book, “The Charmer,” with Thomson’s initials, J. T., and by the friends of the poet were generally known to be his. Mallet’s literary honesty or dishonesty is now generally appreciated, but it must not be forgotten that for years he posed as the author of the ballad “William and Margaret,” and unflinchingly accepted all the encomiums passed upon him in connection with it. In 1880 William Chappell called attention to a folio black-letter sheet in the British Museum, which, with the exception of the first two lines, was identical with Mallet’s print. The date of the publication of the Museum copy was 1711, Mallet’s 1724, and the ballad is believed to have been popular when quoted by Fletcher in the “Knight of the Burning Pestle,” in 1611. The celebrity of “Rule, Britannia” appears to have been immediate and general. Hanoverians and Jacobites adopted it as a popular ditty; the latter party produced several parodies, amongst them the chorus: Rule, Britannia, Britannia rise and fight, Restore your injured Monarch’s right. The following words in a collection of songs called “The True Royalist” are directed to be sung to the tune, “When Britain first, at heav’n’s command”: Britannia, rouse at heav’n’s command! And 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 be From home and foreign tyrants free. Behold great Charles! thy godlike son, With majesty and sweetness crown’d; His worth th’ admiring world doth own, 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, Th’ extended empire of the main; His breast with fire and courage flames, With Nature’s bounds to fix thy reign. 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’lt Emp’ror be. Britannia, unite! Britannia must prevail, Her powerful hand must guide the scale. Then Britons, rouse! with trumpets’ sound 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, And use it for thy rightful lord. Another example will suffice: When our great Prince, with his choice band Arriv’d from o’er the azure main, Heav’n smil’d with pleasure on the land, And guardian angels sing this strain: Go, brave hero; brave hero, boldly go, And wrest thy sceptre from thy foe. A striking proof of the general popularity of the music of the Ode is the quotation made from it by Handel in 1745-6, when he composed the “Occasional Oratorio” to commemorate the suppression of the Rebellion. The words “war shall cease, welcome peace” are set to music, evidently intentionally taken from the song of the day, “Rule, Britannia”: We may note here that the music of the beautiful recitative, “Ah me, what fears oppress my throbbing heart?” followed by the air, “Guardian angels now descend,” first printed in the 1754 “Alfred” libretto, is modelled on Handel’s recitative, “O worse than death,” and air, “Angels ever bright and fair,” composed in 1749 and performed in March, 1750. No doubt “Rule, Britannia” was heard in Germany very soon after its first performance at Cliefden. A copy of the Ode in vocal score, with harpsichord accompaniment, was published in Hanover with the brief-title “Rule Britannia Frey Uebersetzt, Hanover, Gedruckt bey J. L. Lamminger Hofbuchdrucker.” Britannia, aus des Meeres Schoos, stieg auf des SchÖpfers Wink hervor. Dir zog hochahndend dein Genius das Loos, und jubelnd sang ein Engelchor: Herrsch’ Britannia! der weite Ocean sey deinem Scepter untherthan. There are five more verses which need not be reproduced. The publication is undated, and gives no name of poet or composer. Subsequently the same publisher issued a more complete edition with the original English words and a German translation. The title-page is “Rule, Britannia am HÖchsterfreulichen Geburtsfeste Ihro Majestat der KÖniginn Charlotte den 18. Januar 1799 auf dem Grossen KÖniglichen Schlosstheater vom Herrn Schauspiel-Director Ignaz Walter nach der von I. G. F. Brauer versuchten Uebersetzung gesungen.” Beethoven showed his appreciation of the Air of “Rule, Britannia” by using it not only for a pianoforte piece with variations in 1804, but also by incorporating it in the Battle Symphony, “Wellingtons Sieg, oder Schlacht bei Vittoria,” which was performed at a concert in Vienna, in 1813, given for the benefit of the soldiers wounded at Hanau, and again in 1814 during the Vienna Congress, conducted by the composer. Wagner declared that the first eight notes of “Rule, Britannia” embodied the whole character of the British people, and as a tribute to the English nation he set himself the task of composing an Overture with Arne’s music as the motif. The Passing notice is all that is necessary of the gross want of reverence and good taste exhibited by the Rev. Rowland Hill, of Surrey Chapel, who wrote a At the Coronation of William IV., the Sailor King, at Westminster Abbey, September 8th, 1831, an anthem, “O Lord, grant the King a long life,” was sung, having been composed by Thomas Attwood. The introductory symphony and the concluding chorus have quotations from the melody of “Rule, Britannia,” introduced in a very ingenious and admirable manner. Sir Alexander Mackenzie has also made masterly use of the tune in his brilliant “Britannia” Overture. FOOTNOTES:Signed T. B. Nov. 25, 1762. |