Stories of Famous Songs, Vol 1

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STORIES OF
son, George Savile Carey, inherited much of his father's talents and also his characteristics. He was an actor and an entertainer, and appeared to succeed better in the latter line. He always claimed that his father wrote both words and music of " God Save the King." Chappell sup-ports this, and says it was written for a birthday of George II. Dr. Finck is of the same opinion. It was G. S. Carey's daughter Anne who was the mother of Edmund Kean, the father was a Jew.
It is a wonderful coincidence, that to the year 1740 we are indebted for the first appearance in public of three of our most popular and most national songs, " God Save the King," " The Roast Beef of Old England," by Henry Fielding, and" Rule Britannia," by James Thomson; while just nineteen years later appeared the magni-ficent patriotic song, " Hearts of Oak," written by David Garrick, who had a pretty wit for turning a ballad, and composed by Dr. Boyce. " Hearts of Oak" was first sung by Mr. Champ-nes in public at Drury Lane Theatre, De-cember^ 1759, in a Christmas entertainment, entitled, " Harlequin's Invasion," prepared by Roscius himself. It was written under the in-spiration of the year (1759) of Pitt's greatest triumphs, the year of Minden and Quiberon and
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