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Song: To the Tune of Rule Britannia [song, 1 February 1817]

28 October 2012 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: A song, written by a Mr. Jenkins, sung at a function in 1817 to celebrate the founding of the colony of New South Wales.]

Song.

To the Tune of Rule Britannia.

When first Australia rose to fame,
And Seamen brave explored her shore;
Neptune with joy, with joy beheld their aim.
And thus express’d the wish he bore:
Rise, Australia! with peace and plenty crown’d,
Thy name shall one day be renown’d.

Bright Ceres shall adorn thy land,
And gild thy fields with waving grain,
While roving herds shall o’er thy meads expand.
And range the riches of the plain.
Rise, Australia! &c. &c. &c.

Then Commerce, too, shall on thee smile.
Advent’rous barks thy ports shall croud;
While pleas’d, well pleas’d, the Parent Isle,
Shall of her distant Sons be proud.
Rise, Australia! &c. &c. &c.

While Europe’s Pow’rs in conflict dire
Exhaust the Flower of the brave,
Here peace shall flourish, shall flourish — none conspire,
With human blood thy soil to lave.
Rise Australia! &c. &c. &c.



Source:
The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), Saturday 1 February 1817, page 3

Editor’s notes:
An article in the preceding column in the same newspaper gives some details regarding the author of the song:
“In this account it would be unjust to pass over a pleasant novelty, for which the company were indebted to the muse of Mr. Jenkins (who was one of the stewards, and took the chair by an unanimous wish), in complimenting the party with a few appropriate verses on the occasion; which were sung by a Gentleman to the tune of Rule Britannia, with considerable effect, and produced a well deserved encomium as well to the singer as the composer. — Hearing it highly spoken of, we have applied for and been complimented with a copy of the verses, which appear at the head of the next column.”
[See: The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), Saturday 1 February 1817, page 3]

Filed Under: songs Tagged With: Anniversary (Australia Day), Australia Day, songs patriotic, SourceTrove, year1817

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