HOW STANDS THE GLASS AROUND? The writer and composer of this
song are unknown. It appeared as a broadside in 1710. In 1729 it
was produced at a little theatre in the Hay Market, London,
under the title "Why, Soldiers, why?" in " The Patron, or the
Statesman's Opera." Collections made in 1775 have both words
and^music, and Shield introduced the song into "The Siege of
Gib- ralter." Tt is usually called " General Wolfe's song," and
is said to have been sung by him on the eve of the battle of
Quebec. There is a story, which seems to be authentic, that as
his night expedition against the city was floating down the St.
Lawrence, he repeated several stanzas from Gray's "Elegy," and
remarked that he "would rather have written that poem than take
Quebec to-morrow." It is not unlikely that this anecdote,
together with the fact that he had sometimes sung " How stands
the glass around ?" was what gave rise to the story which makes
it his death-song. Harmonized by Edward S. Cnmminga. I n nJiij:
m 1. How standi- the glass