Charles Wesley, born some 250 years ago, is the son of the hymn writer, Charles Wesley. A pupil of William Boyce (1710-1779), he composed several voluntaries and six concertos for organ and strings. This set of variations on the English national anthem was published around 1795. Americans are familiar with the tune, America, set to “My country, ‘tis of Thee,” written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1832.