During the American Revolution Thomas Paine penned a patriotic song called “Hail Great Republic” which is to be sung to the tune of Rule Britannia (of course!) (1776)
About this Quotation:
After having played a significant role in both the American and French Revolutions, Paine had fallen into almost complete obscurity by the time of his death. William Cobbett tried to repatriate Paine’s body to Britain but somehow “lost” it en route. It is in keeping with Paine’s efforts to delegitimize the British monarchy by rewriting traditional pro-monarchy and pro-empire songs and putting new republican words to them. This hymn to the republic uses the tune of “Rule Britannia” to new effect.
Other quotes from this week:
- 2009: Emerson on the right of self-ownership of slaves to themselves and to their labor (1863)
- 2008: Edward Robertson points out the bureaucratic blundering and inefficiency of the Postal Monopoly during the Christmas rush period (1891)
- 2007: James Madison on the need for the people to declare war and for each generation, not future generations, to bear the costs of the wars they fight (1792)
Other quotes about Literature & Music:
- 2010: On Achilles’ new shield Vulcan depicts the two different types of cities which humans can build on earth; one based on peace and the rule of law; the other based on war, killing, and pillage (900 BC)
- 2009: Beethoven’s hero Florestan in the opera Fidelio laments the loss of his liberty for speaking the truth to power (1805)
- 2009: Voltaire in Candide says that “tending one’s own garden” is not only a private activity but also productive (1759)
- 2009: Augustin Thierry relates the heroic tale of the Kentishmen who defeat William the Conqueror and so are able to keep their ancient laws and liberties (1856)
- 2008: Confucius edited this collection of poems which contains a poem about “Yellow Birds” who ravenously eat the crops of the local people, thus alienating them completely (520 BC)
- 2008: Shakespeare has King Henry IV reflect on the reasons for invading the Holy Land, namely to distract people from domestic civil war and to “march all one way” under his banner (1597)
- 2007: J.S. Bach and Martin Luther on how God (the “feste Burg”) helps us gain our freedom (1730)
- 2007: Percy Bysshe Shelley on the new Constitution of Naples which he hoped would be “as a mirror to make … blind slaves see” (1820)
- 2006: Shakespeare in Pericles on how the rich and powerful are like whales who eat up the harding working “little fish” (1608)
- 2006: In Measure for Measure Shakespeare has Isabella denounce the Duke’s deputy for being corrupted by power, “it is excellent To have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous To use it like a giant” (1623)
- 2006: In Percy Shelley’s poem Liberty liberty is compared to a force of nature sweeping the globe, where “tyrants and slaves are like shadows of night” which will disappear in “the van of the morning light” (1824)
- 2006: In Shakespeare’s The Tempest Caliban complains about the way the European lord Prospero taught him language and science then enslaved him and dispossessed him of the island on which he was born (1611)
- 2006: In Shakespeare’s Henry V the king is too easily persuaded by his advisors that the English economy will continue to function smoothly, like obedient little honey-bees in their hive, while he is away with his armies conquering France (1598)
- 2006: In Shakespeare’s Henry V the soldier Williams confronts the king by saying that “few die well that die in a battle” and that “a heavy reckoning” awaits the king that led them to it (1598)
- 2005: Aeschylus has Prometheus denounce the lord of heaven for unjustly punishing him for giving mankind the gift of fire (5thC BC)
- 2005: John Milton in Paradise Regained has Christ deplore the “false glory” which comes from military conquest and the despoiling of nations in battle (1671)
- 2005: With the return of spring the memories of Petrarch’s beloved Laura awaken a new pang in him (late 14thC)
- 2005: In Joseph Addison’s play Cato Cato is asked what it would take for him to be Caesar’s “friend” - his answer is that Caesar would have to first “disband his legions” and then “restore the commonwealth to liberty” (1713)
- 2004: Shakespeare farewells his lover in a Sonnet using many mercantile and legal metaphors (1609)
13 December, 2004
 | During the American Revolution Thomas Paine penned a patriotic song called “Hail Great Republic” which is to be sung to the tune of Rule Britannia (of course!) (1776) |
Paine is well known for having penned a number of patriotic songs during the period of the American Revolution such as "The Liberty Tree", "The Boston Patriotic Song", and the one which is our quote of the week - "Hail Great Republic" (which is to be sung to the tune of "Rule Britannia").
HAIL great Republic of the world,
Which rear’d her empire in the west,
Where fam’d Columbus’ flag unfurl’d,
Gave tortured Europe scenes of rest ;
Be thou forever great and free,
The land of Love, and Liberty !
Where’er the Atlantic surges lave,
Or sea the human eye delights,
There may thy starry standard wave,
The Constellation of thy Rights!
Be thou forever, &c.
The full passage from which this quotation was taken can be be viewed below (front page quote in bold):
HAIL GREAT REPUBLIC.
Tune—Rule Britannia.
HAIL great Republic of the world,
Which rear’d her empire in the west,
Where fam’d Columbus’ flag unfurl’d,
Gave tortured Europe scenes of rest ;
Be thou forever great and free,
The land of Love, and Liberty !…
Beneath thy spreading, mantling vine,
Beside each flowery grove and spring,
And where thy lofty mountains shine,
May all thy sons and fair ones sing.
Be thou forever, &c.
From thee may hellish Discord prowl,
With all her dark and hateful train ;
And whilst thy mighty waters roll,
May heaven-descended Concord reign.
Be thou forever, &c.
Where’er the Atlantic surges lave,
Or sea the human eye delights,
There may thy starry standard wave,
The Constellation of thy Rights!
Be thou forever, &c.
May ages as they rise proclaim
The glories of thy natal day ;
And States from thy exalted name
Learn how to rule, and to obey.
Be thou forever, &c.
Let Laureats make their birthdays known,
Or how war’s thunderbolts are hurl’d ;
Tis ours the charter, ours alone,
To sing the birthday of a world!
Be thou forever great and free,
The land of Love and Liberty!