One hundred years ago
On Tuesday the Queen opened the Exhibition of all Colonial and Indian products at the Albert Hall. One strophe of 'God save the Queen' was sung in Sanscrit as the representative tongue of India, and the audience, who do not know that Sanscrit is the most perfect of Aryan tongues, are said to have been surprised to find that its rolling vowels are as 'singable' as Italian. The Poet-Laureate contributed four verses, of which the last is the most characteristic and the best:— Sharers of our glorious past.
Brothers, must we part at last?
Shall not we thro' good and ill Cleave to one another still?
Britain's myriad voices call, 'Sons, be welded, each and all, Into one Imperial whole, One with Britain, heart and soul!
One life, one flag, one fleet, one Throne!'
Britons, hold your own!
And God guard all!
The hymn, in the irony of fate, was set to music by Sir A. Sullivan.
Spectator, 8 May 1886
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