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G4EBT > POEM 07.01.07 21:37l 133 Lines 4442 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 664095G4EBT
Read: DK5SG GUEST
Subj: Play up, and play the game!
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Sent: 070107/1927Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:13242 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:664095G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : POEM@WW
With cricket whitwashes in mind:
The poem "Play up! Play up! And play the game!" was written by Sir Henry
Newbolt (1862-1938). It's evocative of the days when the British Empire
was still at its height (maybe cricket too!) and when - according to
Wellington, colossal battles like the one fought at Waterloo were "fought
on the playing fields of Eton." (See footnote re Eton).
Newbolt was a pupil at Clifton College (he won a scholarship) at the same
time as General Haig (of WWI fame, or infamy, depending on your point of
view).
The "Close" referred to in the poem are the playing fields at the College
in front of the school Chapel and main school buildings. It's written with
cricket in mind, but as a metaphor for courage and comradeship on the
battlefield:
Play up! Play up! And play the game!
There's a breathless hush in the close to-night
Ten to make and the match to win
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play, and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat.
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
The sand of the desert is sodden red -
Red with the wreck of the square that broke
The gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England's far and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks-
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
This is the word that year by year,
While in her place the school is set,
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with joyful mind
And bear through life Eke a torch in flame,
falling fling to the host behind-
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
Eton is also famous for the Eton Boating Song the lyrics of which were
written by a Master - William Johnson, at Torquay over Christmas 1862 for
the Fourth of June in 1863. The music was composed by Captain Algernon
Drummond whilst serving with his regiment (The Rifle Brigade) in Lahore
in India.
Ordinarily only the first, sixth, seventh and eighth stanzas are sung:
1.
Jolly boating weather,
And a hay harvest breeze,
Blade on the feather,
Shade off the trees,
Swing swing together,
With your bodies between your knees,
Swing swing together,
With your bodies between your knees.
2.
Rugby may be more clever,
Harrow may make more row,
But we'll row for ever,
Steady from stroke to bow,
And nothing in life shall sever,
The chain that is round us now,
And nothing in life shall sever,
The chain that is round us now.
3.
Others will fill our places,
Dressed in the old light blue,
We'll recollect our races,
We'll to the flag be true,
And youth will be still in our faces,
When we cheer for an Eton crew,
And youth will be still in our faces,
When we cheer for an Eton crew.
4.
Twenty years hence this weather,
May tempt us from office stools,
We may be slow on the feather,
And seem to the boys old fools,
But we'll still swing together,
And swear by the best of schools,
But we'll still swing together,
And swear by the best of schools.
Eton College is located About 20 miles west of central London, on the
River Thames near Windsor. It is quintessentially "English" and steeped
in history, having been founded in 1440 by King Henry VI.
The College originally had 70 King's Scholars or "Collegers" who lived in
the College and were educated free, and a small number of "Oppidans" who
lived in the town of Eton and paid for their education.
Today it is a secondary school (a "high school" in the American sense) for
approximately 1,290 boys between the ages of 13 and 18, all of whom are
boarders.
The roll call of Old Etonians includes the great and the good - Royalty,
former prime ministers, generals, field marshals and those who were
scattered to every part of the empire to run the show in its hay day.
It also includes many writers and scholars such as George Orwell
(1903-1950), and Adam Hart-Davis (born 1943), a famous writer and
broadcaster who has made several long running TV series such as
"What did the Victorians do for Us?
I'm not sure if he's known beyond these shores though. The actor Hugh
Laurie is also an Old Etonian, and again, I'm not sure how famous he is
beyond the UK.
73 - David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Message timed: 19:21 on 2007-Jan-07
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