101. Ride on, ride on in majesty
Henry H. Milman, 1791-1868
A popular Palm Sunday hymn and incidentally one of the finest poems in our hymn books. It was written by Henry H. Milman at the age of 30, the year he was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford University—1821.
Henry H. Milman was born in London, the son of Sir Francis Milman, physician to the King. After a brilliant career at Oxford, he was ordained at 25, appointed Professor of Poetry at Oxford at 30. Later he became canon of Westminster and finally dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, which high office he filled with distinction. He is the author of thirteen hymns. Milman was interested, too, in drama and wrote several plays and translated Greek plays. He is best known, however, as a historian, having published The History of the Jews in 1829, and the History of Latin Christianity in 1855, both of them classics.
MUSIC. ST. DROSTANE was written for the words “Ride on, ride on” for the Congregational Hymn and Tune Book, London, 1862. It has since come into wide use with this hymn. Other tunes also used with this text are “Winchester New” ([369]) and “Park Street” ([272]).
For comments on the composer, J. B. Dykes, see [Hymn 1].