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:
Britons never will be slaves.”
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,[35] a favourite singer who was engaged at Cliefden, and sang the tenor solos on that occasion in the “Judgement of Paris.” We know from the report in the Daily Post that there were “other performers from both theatres,”[36] doubtless a good and efficient chorus. The Ode would have made a splendid climax to the Masque,[37] but the libretto shows that the Hermit followed with a speech which is worthy of reproduction; the last four lines are particularly deserving of attention:
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 absence. No doubt Waylett, the publisher of the “Judgement of Paris,” was unwilling to permit its insertion without some adequate recompense. In what way the matter was adjusted we do not know; but an arrangement was made, and a second edition of “Alfred” issued which included the “Celebrated Ode.” The plates used were those from which the music was printed in the “Judgement of Paris”; this is evident from the double-paging visible on the pages of “Alfred”: 62-84, 63-85, 64-86. The first set of numbers belong to the “Judgement of Paris,” and the second set to “Alfred.”
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 follows the composer. It would be interesting to ascertain who first tampered with the Ode. William Horsley published an edition about 1840, which is correct. The words have also been badly treated. The original says “guardian angels sung this strain,” and the command “Rule, Britannia, rule the waves” has been changed to an assertion that “Britannia rules the waves.” This error may without difficulty be avoided in future.
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 composer and his wife, two performances were given of “Alfred” and the “Judgement of Paris.” The Dublin Journal announced by advertisement as follows: “Being particularly desired. For the benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Arne. At Mr. Neale’s great Room in Fishamble street, on Wednesday the 30th of this Inst. May 1, will be performed the Judgement of Paris, written by Mr. Congreve, and now set to music by Mr. Arne, after which will be performed a Serenata, call’d Alfred, composed by Mr. Arne at the special Command of his Royal Highness Frederick Prince of Wales, and performed at his Palace at Cliefden, on the Birthday of the young Princess Augusta. To conclude with the celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain, beginning (When Britain first at Heaven’s Command). The principal Parts to be sung by Mr. Lowe, Mr. Cologan, and Mrs. Arne, being the last Time but one that Mr. Arne, Mrs. Arne or Mr. Lowe will perform in Publick this Season. Mr. Arne will accompany the Performance on the Violin, Mr. Welch on the Organ, and Signior Pasqualino on the Violoncello. N.B. This Performance will be done to great Advantage, on account of the Organ, and the assistance of Mr. Cologan, and several Gentlemen in the Chorusses, who could not perform at the Theatre. Ticket a British Crown. To begin precisely at half an Hour after 6 o’Clock. Vivat Rex. Tickets to be had at Mr. Arne’s in Aungier street.” The repeat performance took place on the 6th of June. It may be noted that Mr. Cologan (James Colgan) was a vicar-choral of St. Patrick’s Cathedral; probably the several gentlemen in the chorus were also attached to St. Patrick’s or Christ Church Cathedrals, and thus precluded from assisting in performances on the theatre stage. Mr. Welch was Mr. George Walsh, the organist of St. Ann’s Church, Dublin. The next performance of “Alfred” took place in London. The General Advertiser of 20th March, 1745, printed the following: “for the benefit of Mrs. Arne, an Historical Musical Drama, call’d Alfred the Great, King of England. The Musick was composed by Command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and never performed in England, but at His Royal Highness’s Palace at Cliefden. The music by Mr. Arne. To conclude with a celebrated Ode in Honour of Great Britain, in imitation of those formerly sung at the Banquets of Kings and Heroes: Boxes, 6s.; Pit, 4s.; First Gallery, 2s. 6d.; and Upper Gallery, 1s. 6d. Mr. Arne humbly hopes the Town will not be offended at the small advance of the Price, this Performance being exhibited at an Extra Expence, with regard to the Number of Hands, Chorus Singers, building the stage, and erecting an Organ; besides all other incidents as usual. The Ladies are desir’d to send their Servants[38] by Four o’clock. The above day is fix’d on to avoid interfering with Mr. Handel.”[39]
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 examples will suffice. The Hermit, addressing Alfred, says:
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, a Masque, represented before their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, at Clifeden, August 1, 1740; being the Birth-Day of the Princess Augusta, written by the late Mr. Thomson and Mr. Mallet, and afterwards new written by Mr. Mallet, and acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane,[40] in 1751.” Thomson died in 1748; Mallet had therefore a free hand, a liberty of which he availed himself very fully; lines were altered, new ones introduced, and several verses added for songs and for chorus. The music for all the songs and solo music is contained in the volume published by Arne, but the music for the choruses is not given; probably it no longer exists. Amongst the additions made by Mallet is a Pastoral Invocation, or song, commencing:
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.” The German words, freely translated from the English, are as follow:
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 history of this interesting composition of Wagner’s has never been accurately stated. The preliminary sketch of the music was made by Wagner in 1836, and is still preserved at Bayreuth. The composition was completed and performed in March, 1837, at Königsberg, and was again played at Riga, on each occasion under the direction of Wagner. He sent the score to the Philharmonic Society in London; but its receipt was not acknowledged. Therefore, when in 1839 he made his first visit to London, he wrote to the secretary of the Society with the result recorded in the Philharmonic Society’s minute-book, under date “April 19, 1840. Present, Mr. Neate, in the Chair, Messrs. Potter, F. Cramer, Dance, Anderson, Calkin. Letter from Wagner. Resolved that the score of the Overture be returned, with an apology for having kept it so long, and explaining that written upon a theme which is here very commonplace, precludes the performance of it at the Philharmonic Concerts.” Wagner resided in London at the “King’s Arms” boarding-house, Great Compton Street, Soho, only eight days, and then went to Paris. Presumably his removal was not known to the Philharmonic secretary, who sent the letter and score to Wagner’s London address; the proprietor of the hotel then forwarded it to Paris, but without defraying the carriage. Wagner in his autobiography wrote: “One morning, when we had been anxiously consulting as to the possibility of raising our first quarter’s rent, a carrier appeared with a parcel addressed to me from London. I thought it was an intervention of Providence, and broke open the seal. At the same moment a receipt-book was thrust into my face for signature, in which I at once saw that I had to pay seven francs for carriage. I recognised, moreover, that the parcel contained my overture, ‘Rule, Britannia,’ returned to me from the London Philharmonic Society. In my fury I told the bearer that I would not take in the parcel, whereupon he remonstrated in the liveliest fashion, as I had already opened it. It was no use; I did not possess seven francs, and told him he should have presented the bill for the carriage before I had opened the parcel. So I made him return the only copy of my overture to Messrs. Lafitte & Galliard’s firm, to do what they liked with it, and I never cared to inquire what became of that manuscript.” Its recovery is a mystery; the conductor of the band of the Leicester Opera House, Mr. E. W. Thomas, a few years since disposed of his belongings, including a pile of manuscript music which was purchased by Mr. Cyrus Gamble, who, in May, 1904, looking through the collection, discovered the long-lost Wagner autograph, signed and dated “Richard Wagner 15 March 1837 Königsberg in Prussia.” Arne’s orchestral score is limited to strings, two oboes, two trumpets, one bassoon, and kettle-drums; Wagner’s score requires strings, two piccolos, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, serpent, double-bassoon, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, ophicleide, side-drum, triangle, grosse caisse, cymbals and kettle-drums.
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 hymn for the music of “Rule, Britannia,” which was sung on the 4th of December, 1803, by a crowded congregation of Volunteers, and printed in a collection of hymns sung at Surrey Chapel.
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.