THE NEED OF A NATIONAL SONG.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sra,—Soon after reading a letter in the Spectator of October 18th, 1902. speaking of the appreciation of Mr. Newbolt's verse by soldiers, a translation from a Japanese newspaper was given me by a young Japanese student for correction. I give some extracts from it exactly as they were written :— " There should be a national song in every country but we Japanese have no one. ' is by no means a national song. This is a song praising the virtues of the Emperor. A national song is the representation of the feeling of the populace. As a country is in reality the possession of' commons, and not of nobles, the ideal of a country exists among CODIDIOns and not among nobles. A song comforting the commons, ennobling their ambitions, and giving them the thoughts of self-respect and Self- confidence, is that which our nation most urgently needs: The song though common must not be vulgar.' As the commons are the natural nobles of a country, their song must be noble.as far as their thoughts are noble As the song is common, it must be a song of labor. A song is not for pleasure,- but for encouraging laborers. Some one said: I take this pen for the country ; I lift up this axe for men; I strike this hammer for humanity ; and I work all for God.' This is justly said to be suited for the spirit of a national song. A song that ennobles labor, which nobles, the lazy people, despise, is a true national song. It is neither genteel nor vulgar, but noble and common. Who can make our daily work holy ? Who can compose the first national song in our country ? Does the Heaven not send such a poet among us? "
Tokio, Japan.
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