...existence of the Empire reinforced the feeling, already deep-rooted, of the British as God's elect. 'When Britain first at heaven's command arose from out the azure main', said the alternative national anthem Rule, Britannia. 'God save our gracious Queen' said the actual...

...16 Thomson makes plainer in "Rule, Britannia!" that Britain enjoys the special protection ofheaven: "When Britain first, at Heaven's command, / Arose from out the azure main" (lines 1 2). '7 "Un1x>unded" may have been taken from Po|x', whose "Unbounded Thames shall flow lor...

...waving his arms in short, powerful gestures, the big, brown-bearded tenor shook the rafters of the hall: When Britain first at Heaven's command Arose from...This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain: Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves! Britons never shall be slaves. Rule,...

...most celebrated form, in the panegyric composed in l740 by the anglicized Scottish poet James Thomson: 'When Britain first, at heaven's command, / Arose from out the azure main . . .' It was Thomson too who in the same work gave Britannia and Britons wide currency. This was the...

...1740 for the Prince and Princess of Wales at their country retreat, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire:"When Britain first, at Heaven's command,/ Arose from out the azure main, /This was the charter of her land,/ And guardian angels sung the strain:/ Rule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves!/ Britons...

...evergreen rallying song of English dominance: "When Britain first, at Heaven's Command, Arose from out of the azure Main, This was the Charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain: 'Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. " The crowd...

...King! "RULE, BRITANNIA!" (1740) Words: James Thompson (1700-1748) Music: Dr Thomas Ame (1710-1778) When Britain first, at Heaven's command, Arose from...This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain 'Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves; Britons never, never, never shall be...

...commerce and the British navy. It looks forward to the approaching ascendancy of the British Empire. When Britain first, at Heaven's command Arose from out the azure main; Arose from out the azure main; This was the charter, the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang...

...faintly, distantly, impossibly familiar. Where had I heard it before? When Britain first at Heav'n's command Arose from out the azure main; This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sang this strain . . . The voices went on, and I dug deep into my memory. Was it in Charles Town that...

...Rule, Britannia (circa 1 740) is not the national anthem, it is an eighteenth century song in praise of Britain : when Britain first, at heaven's command, arose from out the azure main, arose, arose, arose from out the azure main, this was the charter, the charter of the land, and guardian...