THE WAR SONGS OF OLD ENGLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 148, 20 June 1878, Page 4

THE WAR SONGS OF OLD ENGLAND.

(London Letter to New York Times.) A glance at the war songs of the day will give you some idea of the sort of . itofi which goes down at the mußic halla or variety shows, Mr H, B. Hunter is responsible for the "Lion : >md Bear," in which the poet sings :— For Russia not a rust we care, Her threats we all defy ; The Lion still can fight the Bear, As in days gone by. The next bnlladist on my Hsk is a trifle less belligerent, but none the . J»8B maudlin. He sings of "England and the Sen," and charges other nations with boasting of then wealth and fame, which is the one particular Weakness. of England : Let nations praise their wealth and fame, Or boast that they are free ; To yon my friends, I give this toast, Old England and the Sea. Mr Robert Reeca ought to do respectable verse ; he has a reputation hipber than the music balls ; but this is bis idea of poetic power and patriotic , passion : I'm satisfied there's ho decay In British pith and pluck ; Before the world we"ll hare onr say, And trust to " strength "—not " luck 1" We've means! we're right! we've common sense. We're courage ! force ! and skill » ! So — bang* the question of expense !_ Old .England's England still ! I cut these lines from the "samples " advertised in the papers. Mr Fred Albert's new war song '* declares — While England has her sons, her vessels and her guna, No one shall haim her in the least ; .We'll show. the. Russian Czar the sort of men. we are, "For we,meau to keep our empire in the East. . .Another lyrist advertises his entire song in the Era, generously consenting that it may "be sung, in certain specified ".towns without-the payment of author's fees. This poet relates the bloody deeds of. Russia, and his chorus is :— £■; ,{3aid.,the;lion, " I'm the king ; I think you're .--. jhad.your fling ; It's time that I should have a word tp say. You'tjb nearly done your worst, hut you'll conquer Britons first, H youtake,the r Turkey'a,body clean away." Next in to Macdennott's I Music Hall. song, "We don't .want to -fight" (which has a rough vigor in ifcs rugged. lines that lifts it cut of, the drivel ,of, kindred compositions), is ** Here stands a post," by Mr. Clement gcott>* The " post " is a British j flag, vhich is a distinguished " property " in the dramatic rendering of .the- song. At the music halls the piece is sutig in character, the vocalist dressed as Britannia, and surrounded by sea nymphs. The best veree in the song ia the following : — - Here stands a post ! We can spare our hoys for battle, And our parting cheers they'll answer with a smile ; "For they'll know while they are fighting 'midst the cannon's roar and rattle That our Volunteers will guard our little isle Here stands a post ! where our ancestors have placed it, As a gift for their sons, thoir children, and their wires : In the sunny days of peace no deed of coward- : ice disgraced it, So in war we will protect it with our lives