The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #69252 Message #4056618
Posted By: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
02-Jun-20 - 03:39 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Eighteenth of June
Subject: RE: Origins: Eighteenth of June
Just a suggestion:
There was a Ball, given by the Duchess of Richmond, a few days before the battle of Waterloo, attended by many of the higher-ranking officers in Wellington's army. In the final verse, might there be any ironic parallel intended between, on the one hand, a black mourning gown rather than a white wedding dress, and on the other the din of battle rather than the music of an orchestra?
"Who fell, 'mid an awful Ball-tune"
has little merit other than corresponding fairly closely to the line as noted by RVW, making some kind of awkward sense, and allowing that ironic contrast to be found.