The Washington herald., 1909-07-18
No. /


More than three-quarters Of
century has passed since DR.. Samuel
Francis Smith wrote America" or
as we more popularly call our na-
tional hymn. MY Country. 'Tis OF
Thee Many efforts. particularly IN
late years. have been made 70 find
something more original. not posi-
bly, more appropriate. for a national
anthem. Different American com
posers have written inspiring words
and music. but still DR.. Smiths
America" is the accepted hymn, and
viii probably ever remain so.
Several years before DR.. Smiths
death, which occurred in November.
1885, 70 a friend in New York he
wrote: "As near as I can remember
Ny Country. 'Tis OF Thee was writ
ten on February ., 1892. and was
first sung by the children on the
Fourth Of July in that year in Park
Street Church. Boston. It was first
printed the same year in a collection
Of music by Lowell Mason. entitled
The Choir"
In this first edition appeared
fifth stanza. as follows:
No more shall tyrants here.
With naughty steps appear.
And soldier bands;
NO more shall tyrants tread,
Above the patriot dead
No more our blood be shed
BY alien hands.
In the second edition OF "The
Choir" printed in 1893. this sranza.
for some reason. was omitted
Dr. Smith. at the time Of his
death lived in a little old brown
frame house at Newton Center.
Mass. which mad been mis- home for
more than fifty years. He wrote
America" during his last year as a
theological student at Andover. He
became much interested in a Ger
man book Of patriotic songs which
Lowell Mason. Of Boston. had sent
him 10 translate. While porfng
over this book" he told a friend Il
was very much impressed with
patriotic song contained therein. and
while I was thinking Of translating
IL / felt 6n impulse 70 write an
American patriotic hymn. I reached
my hand for a bit Of waste paper.
and. taking my quill pen, wrote the
four verses in half an hour. I sent
H. with some trsnslatiOns Of the
German songs. 10 AIr. Mason. and
the next I knew OF II I was told OF
SIS having been sung at the follow
ing Fourth OF July celebration. The
house where I was living at the time
was On the Andover turnpike. a lit
lie north Of the seminary building.
I have been in the house since I left
IT, in September. 1892. but never
went into my old room"
This room III the Andover house is
novy visited by pilgrims from all
over the world. DR. Smith wrote
about $50 hymns and poems, many
OF them for special occasions. and
nearly all were written on the backs
Of letters. envelopes. or waste pa
per. as was America" in accord
ance with habit he always had.
DR.. Smith was born in Boston. Oc-
tober q, 1905 When twelve years
old he could speak Latin. and later
acquired the reading and speaking
OF htteen languages. At the age Of
eighty-six he was studying Russian.
He entered Harvard at the age of
seventeen. and sustained himself
there by the money he made from
coaching other students and making
translations He was a widows self
supporting son. and not only paid
his way through college. but had a
balance ahead when he graduated.
He was a member Of the famous
class Of 20. which included DR.. O. w.
Holmes. james Freeman Clarke.
William z. Claiming. and others
whom the world came 10 know and
honor
The story of the melody to which
We sing this much beloved American
rational hymn has been written and
rewritten many times, and stin
there is a question as 10 its origin.
Some investigators have traced If
back to the Egyptians. and claimed
that the Germans acquired it from
the Huns. who had. In all likelihood.
brought it from Asia to Europe.
Probably the most authentic story
of its origin is that il was written
by Lully, an Italian composer. TO
whom was suggested its writing by
Nine. de Maintenon, to honor Lotus
XIV on his appearance at the
Official opening of the convent school
at ST Cyr in 1856. The text to
Lully's music was said 10 be by
Nine. de Brinon, and read thus:
Grand Dieu. sauvez lie Roi,
Grand Dieu. vengez le Roll
Vive le Roll
Qua jamais glorieux,
Louis Victorieux.
Voye ses ennemies
Toujours sOumis.
On a visit to the superior Of the
convent a short time afterward the
immortal Handel asked and obtained
permission 10 copy both airs and
words Of the French invocation. ane
It Is said he later offered the music
in his own setting with an English