The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-05-03
The War Feeling In England
The Songs the People are Sing.

The War Feeling In England
The Songs the People are Sing
Ing. r-...-
Perhaps there is no way SO sure to as
certain the pulse Of popular feeling as to
read the fayorite songs Of the people
written in the time of any public excite
ment. They are perfect echoes Of the
general sentiment, and represent as moth.
ing else can, the ideas Of the masses.
Just at present, while the British Lion
and the Russian Bear are growing diplo.
matically and showing their teeth to
each other, the rhymes given below,
printed in late number Of the Spectator,
possess considerable interest. The first
stanza bears the impress Of the excessive
modesty for which England is always re-
markable: -
EnEAS TO EEEP OUR EYPrREisTHE EAsr
Britannia rules the waves, and BdtOns are not
| slaves,
So we've sang for many and many year,
And II this glorious boast Is still 70 be our toast,
| our course Of conduct now Is very clear,
The Turkey and tbs Bear are fighting, you're
And none can tell the finish Of The fray;
But II We would maintain our might upon the
These are the words Britannia now should say:
CkorI.
While England has her sons, her ye,selS aud her
NoSas shall harm her in the least;
Wen show the Russian Car the sort Of men We
And We mean to keep our Empire In the East.
The next lines feelipgly deprecate the
idea OF letting Russia have her own way
with Turkey, not because the latter might
get her feathers plucked away, but that
Englands Eastern pathway would be
closed.
There are some who seem to say-lst Russia have
And dive he Turks irom Europe evermOre,
But then they little dream Of the very artful
The Russians laid vhsn forcing on the war.
II Turkey they should beat and take from hsr
They'd stop our Eastern pathway very plain,
And no longer should ue Be the rulers Of the "a,
Nor certain Of our Indian domain.
| While England has her sons, lie.
At the time these rhymes were written
the Government bad not changed and
lfLord Derby was believed to be q fighting
man. After expressing confidence in his
pluck and shrewdness the song winds up
with spirited determination TO thrash
Russia single handed, il necessary:
So veil keep our powder dry, and keep watch
On those " Who break the treaties once they made
i A. ha RaH Ia aha affR nj nd
! That Of his Lestons We are not afraid
Throw party ttrife aside, and let no one divide
The Nation when its interests are al staEe,
But together, hind In hand, united let u stand
For the Empire that cur fLthers fought 10 make
While England hHs her sons, dc.
England's increasing bitterness offeel'
| ing towards her enemy Is evinced In this
later cong when 1t had become evident
that Turkey, though lighting brayely,
was under the paw Of the Polar Bear, and
nothing renamed but for the British
Lion TO see that the wounded bird had
proper medical treatment, and, II neces-
sary, decent burial: u
Tho varIs at It's height, and the TURKEYS Ia I
In pile q all tha, honest plucE could do
oTornatehed On every hlO, her power has beer
And the Russian Bear /. the stronger Of sh'
Roun.ni,n's dirty aluu. With servIan's Vhslp
Have helped 70 lame the pluety little bird
But voice Is heard At Last, quite forgotten In thu
And The Lion stand, erect to say word.
| CHORUS.
Bald the Lion, I'm the King; think you've had