Somebody has expressed a fear that there is danger of Victoria’s taking her Centenary too seriously.

Come, sing with a ring and a right good swing –
   (Hey!  Hey for a lilting lay!)
Any old silly, old jolly, old thing.
   (For a lilting lay Hey! Hey!)
So long as it be merry
Does the method matter very –
(Sing hey, down derry!)
   Does it matter what we sing?


Centenaries are far between,
And more than one few men have seen.
The sun is high, the fields are green –
Green, green!  Oh, joyous scene!
   (Hey for a lilting lay!)
A Royal Prince comes hence once more;
The loyal crowds with gladness roar;
The girls, agog, are bubbling o’er;
The ships are in and Jack’s ashore.
(Then hey, down derry for the merriment in store!)
   For a lilting lay sing hey!
                        Ho!
   Hail the happee day!


An ode be blowed!  We need no goad –
   (Hey!  Hey for a lilting lay!)
To urge us on our joyous road.
   (For a lilting lay Hey! Hey!)
So long as it be jolly
With a touch of fun and folly –
(Sing ho, hi, holly!)
   Who’s to quarrel with the mode?


For Prince and poet, salts and seers
We hymn the tale of pioneers;
With eyes upon the future years,
Cheers, cheers are in our ears.
   (For a lilting lay sing hey!)
We sing the song of a task well done;
Yet sing of labors scarce begun,
Still thro’ the centuries to run.
We are the children of the sun!
(Then hey, down derry for a festival of fun!)
   Sing hey for a lilting lay!
                     Ho!
   Hail the happee day!

"Den"
Herald, 15 October 1934, p6