BOWRING (Sir John, 1792-1872, M.P., F.R.S., Linguist, Governor and Ambassador, opened up trade with King Mongkut of Siam, favourite pupil of Jeremy Bentham)

Autograph letter signed, to 'Hodges' probably Edward HODGES (1796-1867, Composer of Hymns) concerning some words and music which he has "sent off to Ledesma the three pieces of Music with words - I am tolerably satisfied with two of them - but not so with the third", he encloses the 4 verses of a stirring hymn and ends "I have been poor enough not to keep a copy of two - this is one", 1 side 4to., London, 19th January

The poem reads:

The evening sun's declining
On Darro's gloomy wave
And freedom's soul is dining
Upon our Country's grave
O no! The dawn is shining
Awake! Awake ye brave.

The Torch of heav'n is lighted
The flame our guide shall be
To glory's strife invited
O're Forest, Field, and Sea
And every bosom plighted
Oh liberty! to thee.

The glorious freedom - given
Thy plains Iberia! fills
For deams the Guadalquivir
Morena, for the hills
And every rock and river
With pardon's spirit thrills

It burst the slavish tethers
Which held it chain'd so long
We call upon our fathers
And freedon, bold and strong
Its mighty tide upgathers
In all the power of song

A great linguist, Bowring professed to know 200 languages and able to speak 100 fluently, classing him as one of the world's greatest Hyperglots. His study of European Folk Songs were published along with his Hymns early on in his career. His Ancient Poetry and Romances of Spain published in 1824, has echoes of Felicia Dorothea Hemans and Washington Irving's Alhambra 1832. The verses here appear not to have been published, but from their date were written during the First Carlist or Civil War (1833-39), refer to that conflict.
Bowring had a long and varied career. He is well known for his travels in the Far East as a diplomat, and his appointment as plenipotentiary to China and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Hong Kong. His handling of hostilities with the Chinese in 1856, which contributed to the Second Opium War, withstood a vote of Censure with Palmerston's support.

Item Date:  1836

Stock No:  36250      £675

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