Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/642

 624 RUDYARD KIPLING'S VERSE

Western wind and open surge. Took us from our mothers,

Flung us on a naked shore

(Twelve bleak houses by the shore!

Seven summers by the shore!) 'Mid two hundred brothers.

There we met with famous men

Set in office o'er us; And they beat on us with rods Faithfully with many rods Daily beat us on with rods,

For the love they bore us!

Out of Egypt unto Troy

Over Himalaya

Far and sure our bands have gone Hy-Brazil or Babylon, Islands of the Southern Run,

And Cities of Cathaia!

And we all praise famous men

Ancients of the College; For they taught us common sense Tried to teach us common sense Truth and God's Own Common Sens. Which is more than knowledge !

Each degree of Latitude

Strung about Creation Seeth one or more of us (Of one muster each of us), Diligent in that he does,

Keen in his vocation.

This we learned from famous men,

Knowing not its uses, When they showed, in daily work,