Stalky and Co.

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h1> STALKY &amp; CO. </h1> <p><br/></p> <h2> By Rudyard Kipling </h2> <p><br/></p> <hr /> <p><br/></p> <p>"Let us now praise famous men"&mdash;<br/> Men of little showing&mdash;<br/> For their work continueth,<br/> And their work continueth,<br/> Greater than their knowing.<br/> <br/> Western wind and open surge<br/> Tore us from our mothers;<br/> Flung us on a naked shore<br/> (Twelve bleak houses by the shore!<br/> Seven summers by the shore!)<br/> 'Mid two hundred brothers.<br/> <br/> There we met with famous men<br/> Set in office o'er us.<br/> And they beat on us with rods&mdash;<br/> Faithfully with many rods&mdash;<br/> Daily beat us on with rods&mdash;<br/> For the love they bore us!<br/> <br/> Out of Egypt unto Troy&mdash;<br/> Over Himalaya&mdash;<br/> Far and sure our bands have gone&mdash;<br/> Hy-Brasil or Babylon,<br/> Islands of the Southern Run,<br/> And cities of Cathaia!<br/> <br/> And we all praise famous men&mdash;<br/> Ancients of the College;<br/> For they taught us common sense&mdash;-<br/> Tried to teach us common sense&mdash;<br/> Truth and God's Own Common Sense<br/> Which is more than knowledge!<br/> <br/> Each degree of Latitude<br/> Strung about Creation<br/> Seeth one (or more) of us,<br/> (Of one muster all of us&mdash;<br/> Of one master all of us&mdash;)<br/> Keen in his vocation.<br/> <br/> This we learned from famous men<br/> Knowing not its uses<br/> When they showed in daily work<br/> Man must finish off his work&mdash;<br/> Right or wrong, his daily work&mdash;<br/> And without excuses.<br/> <br/> Servants of the staff and chain,<br/> Mine and fuse and grapnel&mdash;<br/> Some before the face of Kings,<br/> Stand before the face of Kings;<br/> Bearing gifts to divers Kings&mdash;<br/> Gifts of Case and Shrapnel.<br/> <br/> This we learned from famous men<br/> Teaching in our borders.<br/> Who declare'd it was best,<br/> Safest, easiest and best&mdash;<br/> Expeditious, wise and best&mdash;<br/> To obey your orders.<br/> <br/> Some beneath the further stars<br/> Bear the greater burden.<br/> Set to serve the lands they rule,<br/> (Save he serve no man may rule)<br/> Serve and love the lands they rule;<br/> Seeking praise nor guerdon.<br/> <br/> This we learned from famous men<br/> Knowing not we learned it.<br/> Only, as the years went by&mdash;<br/> Lonely, as the years went by&mdash;<br/> Far from help as years went by<br/> Plainer we discerned it.<br/> <br/> Wherefore praise we famous men<br/> Prom whose bays we borrow&mdash;<br/> They that put aside Today&mdash;<br/> All the joys of their Today&mdash;<br/> And with toil of their Today<br/> Bought for us Tomorrow!<br/> <br/> Bless and praise we famous men<br/> Men of little showing!<br/> For their work continueth<br/> And their work continueth<br/> Broad and deep continueth<br/> Great beyond their knowing!<br/> <br/> Copyright, 1899. by Rudyard Kipling<br/></p> <p><br/></p> <hr /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />