From Mrs Caroline Kenny
Sir, - May I make a few comments on the Revd Dr Gordon Giles's
article on my grandfather's hymn "I vow to thee, my country" (Comment, 8
November).
Dr Giles is not "renovating" this hymn, but rewriting it,
presumably in accordance with some political agenda.
He claims that "there is much confusion about the provenance and
purpose." There has never been any confusion about the provenance:
it was written by Sir Cecil just before his death, and widely
circulated very soon, originally by the family in replies to
letters of condolence. As to his purpose, that is a matter of
opinion; but it must be remembered that he was a lifelong and
devout Christian.
It has been set to music by at least ten other composers in
England and Ireland (I have copies), but only Holst's tune has ever
become popular.
It was never a poem of three verses. The earlier two-verse
version, which I have in manuscript in a notebook dated Sweden
1912, is entitled "Urbs Dei". This consists of a completely
different first verse with the familiar second verse about the
"other country". The verse beginning "I vow to thee" was indeed
written in January 1918, and joined to the earlier second verse. It
was sent in a private letter to ex-Secretary-of-State [William
Jennings] Bryan. The earlier version does not appear in the
published book of Sir Cecil's poems (Longmans, 1920), but it is
clear that when he wrote it he already saw with horror the
inevitability of the approaching slaughter and destruction of
war.
I believe that the first verse is a description of a wholly and
unexceptionably Christian selfless love, the sort that involves an
unconditional commitment, and will certainly demand "service" and
"sacrifice". It is relevant that Sir Cecil had recently lost a
brother, killed in France, aged 51. His youngest brother also
enlisted, though in his late forties, but mercifully survived the
war.
The second verse is quite obviously an allegorical picture of
the Kingdom of God/heaven in most memorable poetic words and
images.
As for "a dated military concept of fighting for King and
country": this is highly offensive to our troops and their
families, and makes me ashamed to be a member of the same Church or
country as Dr Giles.
Finally, I think my grandfather would have been surprised to
find his poem set to music and used as a hymn, and absolutely
astonished to find it known, loved, and heartily sung all over the
English-speaking world. Indeed, in Canada, in June this year, the
family, by invitation, unveiled a plaque beside his grave in
Beechwood National Cemetery, Ottawa, to identify him as the writer
of these words.
CAROLINE KENNY
Russets, Straight Mile, Etchingham, East Sussex TN19 7BA
