Funeral ode : in memory of the deceased explorers of Australia : Burke and Wills : will be sung on Wednesday, January 21, 1863 / words by J. Smith, Esq. ; music composed by A. Reiff, Jun

Creator
Smith, James, 1820-1910
Call Number
SRq 410
Created/Published
[Melbourne] : Theatre Royal, 1863
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1
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Text

FUNERAL ODE  

IN MEMORY OF THE DECEASED EXPLORERS OF AUSTRALIA,  

BURKE AND WILLS.  

THEATRE  

ROYAL.  

Words by ------- J. SMITH, Esq.  

Music composed by -A. REIFF, Jun.  

WILL BE SUNG ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1863.  

Chorale.  

Back from its lonely grave we bring the sacred dust,  

nation’s sorrow and nation’s trust;  

With kindred dead in consecrated earth to rest,  

Where no irreverent hand its slumber shall molest.  

Denied in life the glory of the civic crown,  

Upon the heroes’ tomb we lay it sadly down;  

O’er the poor relics bending dejected head,  

And honouring, too late, the mute, unconscious dead.  

Solo, Soprano.  

Aglow with youth and hope they went  

Where all before was dark and drear  

While o’er the unknown waste there lay  

The shadow of an awful fear.  

Dim perils wore gigantic forms,  

And solitude seemed more profound,  

Where living creature’s foot had left  

No trace upon the burning ground.  

But, unappalled, the heroes held  

New course across each trackless plain,  

And round them glared the blinding sun,  

And o’er them beat the tropic rain.  

Solo, Tenor.  

Morn after morn three fleecy clouds,  

Mute messengers, would beckon forth  

And marshal the four travellers  

Their way towards the glowing north.  

And ever, as the day advanced,  

Would melt into the stainless blue  

And ever, as the morning dawned,  

Their pallid beacons would renew,  

Till on the Great Dividing Range  

In breathless joy th’ explorers stood,  

And saw the trickling source of rills  

That flowed into northern flood.  

Solo, Contralto.  

Then through the grassy plains they swept,  

That spread from mountain unto sea,  

Knee deep in flowers, where 44 Woodnotes wild ”  

Blend with the murmur of the bee.  

There came day desired by all,  

Life’s brightest hour, perchance, for each,  

When Burke and Wills—their goal achieved,  

The Flinders tidal waters reach  

Oh! noble exploit, well fulfilled  

Oh splendid honour, bravely won  

Turn, southward turn your wayworn feet,  

Heroes, your glorious work is done.  

Solo, Bass.  

Not so the greatest is behind,”  

An act of fortitude sublime,  

Whose memory each tender heart  

Will cherish to the end of time  

For manly eyes will brim with tears,  

And woman’s voice shall falter, when  

The story in its pathos tells  

How fell these lion-hearted men—  

Calm, cheerful, steadfast, kindly, true.  

Surrendering their latest breath  

With gentle words upon their lips,  

And smiling in the face of death.  

Quartette (Unaccompanied).  

Oh, never shall the good old land  

That breeds race of sons like these  

Want men to plant her spotless flag  

On unknown coasts of unknown seas.  

Oh, never dies the spirit staunch,  

The intrepidity that fills  

The gallant hearts of heroes like  

Imperishable Burke and Wills.  

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Citation options:
Work identifier

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-516436740

APA citation

Smith, James & Reiff, Anthony & Theatre Royal (Melbourne, Vic.) issuing body. (1863). Funeral ode : in memory of the deceased explorers of Australia : Burke and Wills : will be sung on Wednesday, January 21, 1863 Retrieved January 23, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-516436740

MLA citation

Smith, James, Reiff, Anthony and Theatre Royal (Melbourne, Vic.) issuing body. Funeral ode : in memory of the deceased explorers of Australia : Burke and Wills : will be sung on Wednesday, January 21, 1863 [Melbourne]: Theatre Royal, 1863. Web. 23 January 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-516436740>

Harvard/Australian citation

Smith, James & Reiff, Anthony & Theatre Royal (Melbourne, Vic.) issuing body. 1863, Funeral ode : in memory of the deceased explorers of Australia : Burke and Wills : will be sung on Wednesday, January 21, 1863 Theatre Royal, [Melbourne] viewed 23 January 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-516436740

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=Smith, James.
  | author2=Reiff, Anthony.
  | author3=Theatre Royal (Melbourne, Vic.) issuing body.
  | title=Funeral ode : in memory of the deceased explorers of Australia : Burke and Wills : will be sung on Wednesday, January 21, 1863
  | year=1863
  | section=1 broadside ; 25.2 x 19.7 cm
  | location=[Melbourne]
  | publisher=Theatre Royal
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-516436740
  | id=nla.obj-516436740
  | access-date=23 January 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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Creator Date of Death is Before 1955

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1916
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1863
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