THE harp of the minstrel with melody rings, When the Muses have taught him to touch and to tune it; And although it may have a full octave of strings, So, the power that creates Our Republic of States, To harmony tunes them at different dates; And, many or few, when the Union is done, II. The science that measures and numbers the spheres, And has done so since first the Chaldean began it, Now and then, as she counts them, and measures their years, Brings into our system and names a new planet. Venus, Neptune, and Mars, As they drive round the sun their invisible cars, Whether faster or slower their races are run, III. Of those federate spheres, should but one fly the track, They might all be engulfed by Old Chaos and Night; So must none of our sisters be suffered to run, IV. Let the Demon of Discord our melody mar, Or Treason's red hand rend our system asunder, Break one string from our harp, or extinguish one star, The whole system's ablaze with its lightning and thunder. Let that discord be hushed! Let the traitors be crushed, Though "Legion" their name, all with victory flushed; For aye must our motto stand, fronting the sun, "E Pluribus Unum" - The many are one. UNITED STATES NATIONAL HYMN, L. M.* TUNE - Yarmouth. BY JONATHAN I. GOD bless United States; each one * The above hymn, written to the old Long Metre Yarmouth, was, like the four which precede it, among the twelve hundred sent in to the committee appointed at the beginning of the civil war, for the somewhat absurd purpose of obtaining a National Hymn, as if that could be written to order. The author's name UNITED STATES NATIONAL HYMN. Of what is for the public good; 11. Foundation of our Union, find God's Book, religion's only guide ; Nor can majority oppress Minority, but all confess That each has Rights, which all must see Respected in their purity. III. The Union and the Nation stand A Government, o'er all the land; For rulers, the best quality. 73 was really Jonathan, and he lived in one of the remotest and most primitive of the rural districts of Northern New England. His handwriting was plainly that of a man used rather to the plough than the pen, - one whose condition in life would in any other country than this limit his knowledge to what was necessary to the tilling of the few acres on which he lived. But rustic and unlettered as he was, what intelligent comprehension his rude verses exhibit of the structure and the principles of our government! In this respect he could manifestly put to school the smooth-mannered crowd of European statesmen and journalists who with an air of such profound wisdom discuss our politics, and who with such an assumption of judicial authority pronounced our doom in strict accordance with historical precedent. Viewed in this light, his quaint composition has an interest which makes it worthy of preservation. IV. Jehovah is our Head, and we V. As we march down the stream of Time, VI. Be every part to each most dear; VII. Stand in thy strong integrity: The North and South united be With East and West: join heart and hand By our good Union firm to stand. Our President elected be, By people's voice, plurality; UNION. 75 And the Vice-President the same ; The highest offices of fame. VIII. Free governments o'er earth will go; The righteous wise shine as the sun; Extended over land and sea ; His kingdom come o'er men to reign, Amen. UNION.* I. INDIVIDUAL several, indisintegrative whole! Chorus Thus with eye unfilmed we see II. Of sempiternal potency, preëxistent power! * Perhaps the writer of the above outrageous burlesque of some of the traits which have been noticed in the style of the eminent author of "Brahma" should be ashamed to have sent them to the National Hymn Committee, of which he was a member. If burlesque were all their purpose they would not be here preserved. Mr. Emerson could well afford to forgive them, even if they did not come from one of his warmest admirers. |