"RULE, BRITANNIA."

Golden Bay Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 50, 12 May 1910, Page 2

"RULE, BRITANNIA."

ITS AUTHOR AND COMPOSER.

Light has been shed on the disputed authorship of "Rule, Britannia," by a shabby-looking volume, partly in MS. and partly printed, which has come into the possession of Mr. Quaritch, the bookseller. The MS. portion (says the "Times") consists of fair copies of certain plays sent to the Lord Chamberlain's Office or the official license to produce on the stage ; and "Alfred, a Masque," by James Thomson < and David Mallet, is one of these. "Alfred" contains the stirring song, " Rule Britannia." The MS. itself is additionally attractive from the fact that it contains on the first leaf the following inscription :

Sir,—This masque we intend to have perform'd at our Theatre if it meets with ye approbation of my Lord Chancellor.

From your humble servants, D. Garrick, J. Lacy.

Feb. 14, 1751

Then as to the composer of the song. Two composers have been claimed for the music of "Rule, Britannia" —Dr. Arne and Handel. Schoelcher, in his early life of the latter, said that '''Rule, Britannia," Was "in part borrowed from the poor "Occasional Oratorio.' In reality it is by Handel, for in the whole air there are only two bars which do not belong to him. But, as "Alfred" was produced in 1740, and the Occasional Oratorio was not composed until early in 1746, Handel's claim falls to the ground. In the '"General Advertiser" of March 20, 1745, and in another paper of the same date it is stated "The musick was composed by Mr. Arne." "Rule, Britannia," which even in those days was ranked as a "celebrated ode," is a native production.