Second thoughts on late-1800s British Imperial power, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Queen-Empress Victoria I Hanover's ascension to the throne: God of our fathers, known of old,Lord of our far-flung battle-line,Beneath whose awful Hand we holdDominion over palm and pine—Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,Lest we forget—lest we forget!...
And, as Orwell pointed out, "And guarding, calls not thee to guard" echoes Psalm 127's "except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain". I reread Orwell's essay on Kipling now and then, just as I reread a bit of Kipling here and there. (One of my Kipling favorites is "Sons of Martha" which was written for and still used by the engineering school at McGill. One of my colleagues told me that the graduating class recites it while all grasping an iron chain.)
And, as Orwell pointed out, "And guarding, calls not thee to guard" echoes Psalm 127's "except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain". I reread Orwell's essay on Kipling now and then, just as I reread a bit of Kipling here and there. (One of my Kipling favorites is "Sons of Martha" which was written for and still used by the engineering school at McGill. One of my colleagues told me that the graduating class recites it while all grasping an iron chain.)