The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-25

| Inc tllN ana hlnguom OF lurlS
This Stone Is Here Placed
BY a Grateful Country.
He Died at the American Consulate.
In This City. After Tedious Illness,
April LIST, 1852.
He Was Born at the City Of Boston,
state of Massachusetts,,
June sth 1872.
His Fame As Poet and Dramatist
| is We'll known Wherever the English Ianguag
Is Spoken Through His Celebrated Ballad,
| OF
Home Sweet Home;
| And His Popular Tragedy
OF Brutus. and Other Similar Productions.
This inscription was written by Hon
William Penn Chandler who has ac-
knowledged that he was in some error
concerning the place of Payne's birth
and the date of his death.
Upon the monument is the following
inscription:
| Sure when thy gentle spirit fed,
| To realms beyond the azure dome,
| With arms outstretched Gods angels said
Welcome TO Heavens Home. Sweet Home.
There are numerous accounts of the
circumstances surrounding the produc-
ton of Home, Sweet Home" According
to one story ION a certain stormy
night, beneath the dim Pickering of a
London street lamp, gaunt and hungry,
and without place to shelter his poor
shivering body, he Rayne) wrote his
inspired song upon piece of ragged
paper picked from the sidewalk" The
| following, said to have been related by
the author himself to a friend in New
Orleans, in 1895, is probably more re-
liable:
Il first heard the air in Italy" said
| the poet "One beautiful morning as 1
was strolling alone amid some delight
full scenery my attention was arrested
by the sweet voice of a peasant girl,
who was carrying a basket laden with
flowers and vegetables. This plaintive
air she trilled out with so much sweet
ness and simplicity that the melody at
once caught my fancy. 1 accosted her,
and after few moments conversation
I asked for the name of the song, which
she could not give me, but, having a
slight knowledge of music myself
barely enough for the purpose. l re-
quested her to repeat the air. which
she did while I dotted down the notes
as best 1 could. 1t was this air that
suggested the words of Home, Sweet
Home. both of which 1 sent to Bishop
at the time 1 was preparing the opera
of 'Clari' for Mr. Kemble Bishop hap
pened to know the air perfectly well,
and adapted the music to the words.''
Sir Henry Bishop, alluded to by
p yne, was a personal friend of the
latter. and the composer of the opera
of "Clari, the Maid of Milan" in which
the song Of Home, Sweet Home" was
first introduced. The opera was pro-
duced at Covent Garden Theatre. Lon
don, May. 1923, and the song was first
sung by a Miss Tree, sister of Ellen
Tree. afterward wife of the famous
actor, Charles Kean.
The success of this opera, which was
almost phenomenal. may be described
as marking the crisis of the career of
John Howard Payne. whom it brought
into instant notoriety Hard pressed
for money, and almost despairing, the
adventurous poet had heretofore met
with but fitful success. He had known
the inside of debtors prison, from
which he rescued himself by his play
of 'Therese," an adaptation from the
French. While looking about almost
desperately for an opening for the ex-
ercise of his talents his services were
sought by Charles Kemble, then man
ager of Covent Garden Theatre. Payne
despatched to Kemble a bundle of man
uscript plays, asking for the whole
G2a0 sterling. One of these plays,
"Clari," which was offered for $50 was
suggested as suitable for an opera, and
the author stated in a communication
to Kemble that, in the event of its
meeting with the latter's approval. Sir
Henry Bishop would arrange the music
for it. Fifty pounds were paid and
charged against the bundle offered for
ESQ. Like the "Beggar's Opera" the
fate of "Clari" seemed to hinge upon
one song, and that song was Home,
Sweet Home"
In the words of Payne's biographer,
Gabriel Harrison, this song has had a
more universal circulation than any
other song written before or since It
is fact that upward of one hundred
thousand copies were issued by its pub
Usher in London in less than one year
after its publication. The profit yielded
over two thousand guineas. It at once
everywhere Whether in the streets,
or the concert, or the theatre. it was
always welcome to the ear. 1t has been
heard in the cottage and the palace. il
has been sung constantly by the hum
blest peasantry and sanctioned by the
sweet warblings Of Pasta and Mali
bran. 1t has been quoted in sermons
and sung, with slight alterations, in
places of divine worship. 1t is a favor
tie song of the exile. and is not unfa-
miliar in the desert wilds of Africa"
Every great singer. from Malibran to |
Patti, has left, for time. the display |
of their marvellous vocal powers in |
more ambitious compositions to de- |
scend to the simple. touching melody |
Of Home. Sweet Home" And in so do |
ing they have exalted both the song |
and their own beautiful gifts, for it is |
only such voices of gold that can |
give the tenderness, and sweetness, |
and power that lie in the simple I
strains Home. Sweet Home" Is, indeed,
an epic of the heart whose inspiration |
has been caught from Nature herself,
and the listener can picture In his mind
OF the peace and something
of the sorrow that must have come to
the solitary wayfarer as he listened to
the song of the happy peasant girl in
the calm Italian vale.
Most washingtoniaus will doubtless
recall the incidents attending the re
moval of Payne's body from its tomb
at Tunis to its present resting place |