By a clever thought the French altered "Mabrook" to "Marlborough" about the time of Malplaqute, and so made the song tell how our great Duke set out to the war, but returned. not how his lady went to the top of the tower to watch for him, but saw not his banners; bo>v at last a pago came, announcing that the Duke had been killed and buried. The paraphrase of this French version runs freely as follows, with regard to the first verse, to which a special chorus was added from an unknown source. But this chorus became immediately a tremendous success wfth the French. Thus the song went:— Marlborough, prince of commanders, Has gone to the war in Flanders; His fame is like Alexander's; But when will he come home? He won't come home till morning, Ho won't come home till morning, He.won't come home till morning, Till daylight doth appear! By this time the fine air and parodies of the words lmtf becomo known to many in England, and they saw that the "He' won't come home till morninfi" was the wish which was father to the thought, as we say. So. in derision they themselves retorted witli another 'chorus, which made the great song run:— Marlborough, prince of commanders, Has conquered the French in Flanders; His fame is like Alexander's; ; And he's the best of all. For he's a jolly good fellow, 1 Hejn a jolly good fellow, He's a jolly good fellow, Aud so shy all of us!
Enveloped by Romance, One cannot Jeavo the subject, however, without 'recalling the marvellous list of illustrious names directly connected with this glorious song. Marie Antoinette sang it as a cradle-song to her babies ; tho famous musician Bcaumarchais introduced it into his "Marriage of Figaro," in 1784; Beethoven j used it in his well-known "Battle Symphony" in 1813, as emblematic of the march of t'ho French Army under Bonaparte I Napoleon held it in special favour, and was heard singing it to himself as his army croscd tho River Niemen on its way to Russia in 1812; whilst at St. Helona, not long before his death, he remarked to ono of his old friends,' "What a great man-tliat Dulco of Marlborough was! What r\ thing is ridicule; it even attacks the victor!" And a. moment later, almost with death right in front of him, the great "Scourge of Europe" began to sing softly, "Marlborough s'en vn-t-en guerre." It was'a magnificent tribute in itself to the.hold tliis wonderful song has liad over so many of the world's greatest and most illustrious men. Charlotte Corday often chanted its strains; whilst Queen Hort'enso made it tho foundation of her. famous tune, "I'artant pour la Syrie," and the noble poet Andre Chenier also based his "Mourir pour la Pa trie" on the song. Curiously, too, the Finns to-day sing words to a tunc identically the same; and Holberg, at the Copenhagen theatre in 1826, won immense applause li.y introducing the song, in which all the dames joined with much fervour.
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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 11
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507Untitled Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 11
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