Rule, Britannia

Rule, Britannia,

English patriotic song. The music was composed by Thomas Augustine ArneArne, Thomas Augustine
, 1710–78, English composer. Arne composed the song Rule, Britannia, based on an ode by James Thomson. He composed new music for an adaptation of Milton's masque Comus (1738) and for some of the songs in Shakespeare's plays.
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 for his masque Alfred, first performed August 1, 1740, in commemoration of the accession of George I. The words of the masque were written by James ThomsonThomson, James,
1700–1748, Scottish poet. Educated at Edinburgh, he went to London, took a post as tutor, and became acquainted with such literary celebrities as Gay, Arbuthnot, and Pope.
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 (who is supposed to be the author of this song) and David MalletMallet or Malloch, David
, c.1705–1765, English poet and dramatist, b. Scotland. His best-known work is the ballad William and Margaret (1720).
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.