"HANDS ALE ROUND.”

Dunstan Times, Issue 1047, 12 May 1882, Page 3

"HANDS ALE ROUND.”

The following is a copy of Mr Tennyson's new English and Colonial national song (published by Boosey, Regent street), in the first draft, though it has been slightly altered for the sake of singing. The New Zealand Government arc asked by the Colonial Institute to have it sung iii tins Colony on the Queen’s Birthday :

hirst pledge our Queen, this solemn night, 'I hen drink to England every guest, That man’s lie best c smopnlite, Who loves his native count y best ! May Freedom’s oak forever live. With larger life from day to day : That man’s the true conservative Who hips the mouldered branch away. Hands all round! God the traitor’s hope confound ! To the great cause of Freedom drink, my friends, And the great name of England round and round.

To all the loyal hearts who long To keep our English Empire whole ! To all our noble sons, the sirinn* New England of Mm Soul hern Role ! To England under Indian skies, To those dink millions of her realm ! io Canada, whom we love and prize, Whatever stateman hold the holm Hands all round ! God the traitor’s hope confound ! To the great name of England drink, my friends. And all her glorious Colonies round aud round.

To all our statesmen so they ho True leaders of the land’s desire ! To both our Houses, may they see Beyond the borough ami tlie shire, ! We sailed wherever ship could sail, M e founded many a mighty Stale, Pray God our greatness may not fail Through craven fears of being great. Hands all round ! God the traitor’s hope confouned. To the great cause of Freedom drink, mv fi lends, And the great name of England round and round.

The ballad was sung for the first time in public at St. James’s 11 ill or. March 15. A sufficiently popular and impresnve tune to which the words are set. has been arranged by Mr V ilUera Stanford for a Solo voice and chorus, the latter taking up tlie burden at the end of each stanza. Air Stantley declaimed the Laureate’s sonorous lines with due emphasis, and the song was received with the loyal demonstrations which might have been expected under the circnms anecs.

At the monthly meeting of the executive com mittee of tlio Grand Lodge of Good 1 emplara of England, held a* Birmingham, a copy of the following resolution was directed to ho sent to Mr Tennyson ‘ liesolved, —1 hat this Executive of the (Land Lodge of England of Good Templars nbservi s with i egret that the Poet Laureate’s new national snug invites to repeated drinking as excessive alike of loyalty, patriotism, and freedom, thus pandering to a fast decaying convivial custom which i linns manifest injury upon so m ny of her Majesty's subjects, hinders national advancement, and enslaves both body and mmd.