Letter: Jerusalem has the real glory

Dr Gerald Morgan
Tuesday 27 October 1998 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Sir: I welcome the referendum being conducted by the (English) RFU about the possible replacement of the British national anthem by an English anthem for the England rugby team at future internationals.

A change is long overdue. It is no longer fitting (if it ever was) for the English to insult the Welsh at Cardiff or the Scots at Murrayfield (and even the Irish in Dublin) by appropriating to themselves the British anthem.

I support the claim of William Blake's Jerusalem with its evocation of "England's green and pleasant land" as against Land Of Hope And Glory with its evocation of imperial grandeur.

Something like a million Englishmen went to their deaths to the strains of Land Of Hope And Glory, led for the most part by politicians and generals, who were not equal to their selfless heroism. William Blake is a great poet and visionary, who holds out for us the true hope of social justice.

DR GERALD MORGAN

Trinity College

Dublin

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in