THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

From R. Vaughan Williams,
The White Gate,
Westcott Road,
Dorking.

Dec 26 [1948?]

Dear Martin
Briggs asks me to get these words sent to you – a “best time” selection of S.P. hymns.
I approve if you do.
He suggests sharing royalties.  What we are doing for our money I can’t see – But if there is good money going these times I suppose one must not be fierce.
B. wants to include the “Freedom” hymn we did together.  I have also made a setting of the enclosed words.  If he approves the words and you approve the tune we might put that in also.  My love to all & as happy a new year as we can reasonably expect.
yrs
RVW

A song of Victory
To suffer woes which hope thinks infinite
To forgive wrongs darker than death or night
To defy Power which ssems omnipotent,
To love, to bear, to hope till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates.
Neither to change, to falter nor repent
This … is to be
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free
This is alone, Life, Joy Empire and Victory.
Shelley
(out of Promtheus)