THE GREATEST SONG.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20317, 27 January 1928, Page 11

THE GREATEST SONG.

“HOME. SWEET HOME,” STORY OF ITS AUTHOR. ACTOR AND WRITER. It has been said that more than 5000 songs are written each year, but that only a small percentage of them are ever set to music. Many of these are forgotten almost as soon as they are heard, for a song must have something divine or spiritual to live for even a dozen years. Those' who are familiar with the history of literature and music know that every great poem, song, or story is an inspiration of the author. “Home, Sweet Home” was an inspiration of that remarkable genius, actor, dramatist, and journalist, John Howard Payne. It is the atmosphere that the song “ Home, Sweet Home ” creates, the simple phrasing, the great truth of its words. Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home,” that has endeared it to our hearts. It is a favourite song of the exile; it has been sung in every language and in every clime. The Eskimo in his snow hut, ’mid Greenland’s icy mountains, and the Hindu on India’s coral strands, are not unfamiliar with it. This one effort has so much the touch of Nature in it that the whole world becomes akin in acknowledg-' ment of it and in love for its author, Payne was born in New York City on June 9, IT9I, of English parentage. Some of his ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Eastham, Massachusetts, but the greater part of his childhood was spent at the old Payne homestead in Long Is.and, and it was here, that his young heart drank its first inspirations from the beautiful Nature that surrounded him. Ho received part of his early education at Boston, and in 1804, when only 13 years “ 6 ° r s an ISC( i a little military group which attracted so much attention that it made his name in the city a household word. I Howard Paynes father was a lawyer and young Payne benefited greatly bv his fatners teachings in elocution. He always took a leading part in school theatricals, showing superior merit in elocution and m acting and as time went on his in-, terest in the theatre became very marked. 9“ death of his elder brother it was thought advisable by Howard’s parents to the youn S Horn his associates and those pursuits which had riveted his attention on the stage, and to place him in the way to succeed his brother. This was attempted by ways and means un--suited to his temper which drove him to editorship of a little paper called the Thespian Mirror,” issued every Saturday evening. It contained welln(h^en^ emolr ? °[ Co PPer. Hodgkins, and of h their f° f the day ’ Wltb criticisms vLie. i ' Ff rfo ™ anc « and plays, besides 'rdcrtstmg dramatic and literary: FoTK'numbJrT * ra “ The editor of the Evening: Post so attracted .by the boy of w ho was X t n ta ie dms u 1 ?- ab;ilty ’ that he formed a Send *° u "'°n College. His father consented to the plan and tho d£«th ef nf th f- CoUntl ? Sr ho:,Se for ever. The death of his mother came as a sever* shock to his father and to himself, and sent o n f a h C i al f y£ aSOnf th \ reluctant con-, sent of hi s father was obtained for him on *9. the stage. A return to business proved a faiure. and he returned once more to the stage, acting in Shakespearean drama in Boston and elsewhere. b inally, m 1815, accompanied by Ins brother, he sailed for London, and hero he met seveial New York friends, including Washington Irving. England was at war however, with the United States at that lime, and Payne was arrested as a spy and thrown into prison, where he was confined for 14 days. Discouraged as he nas, his thoughts turned to home, end he composed the words of that immortal song which m after years were to be embodied \ n r-, a " „ operu ca!!c d “ Ciari. the Maid of Milan, ’Mid pleasure and palaces though we mav roam, Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home; A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there, ' Which, sought through the world, is ne er met with elsewhere. An exile from home, splendour dazzled m vain, Oh give mo my lowly thatched cottage ■again; The oirds singing gaily that came at my call, Give mo them and that peace of mind dearer than all. Home, home, sweet, sweet, home, There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. Released from prison, he was introduced to the great English actor, Sir John Kemble, who in turn introduced him to the manager of the Drury Lane Theatre, where 1m made his first appearance in 1813, and met with the same applause as before the people of America. Then iu Europe he acted for 106 nights, taking the parts of 26 characters. Sent to Paris several years later by the company of the Drury Lane Theatre, it was then that he wrote “ Ciari, the Maid of Milan.” an opera in which “Home, Sweet Home,’' was sung for the first time. The sweet rendering of the song by Miss Tree at. Co vent Garden won for her a rich husband and fame as an opera singer. The song has had more universal circulation than any other ever written, and more than 100,000 copies were issued in London within less than a year of its appearance.

In 1832 the author of “Home, Sweet Home,” returned to his native land, and here he continued his work of writing until 1843, when ho was appointed consul to Tunis. In 1852, however, he had an attack of pneumonia from which he died. In an obscure cemetery in Georgetown his remains were interred the following year, and on a plain shaft topped with a bust of the immortal poet, actor, playwright, and journalist were inscribed these simple words: — Sure, when thy gentle spirit fled. Far beyond this earthly dome, With outstretched God’s angel e «aid«- y '•'Welconra to Jfc»e 4 awMt home.”